Watch the Throne
by Sarudoshi
Summary: fiesty and utterly bull-headed, Getsu of the Western Wolf Clan despises the potential husband candidates her father has set her up with in the past. the latest one: Lord Sesshomaru of the West... an Inu-Daiyokai! is her father mad? doesn't he know she doesn't want him..? but why is this one different? why does he get under her skin so easily? SessOC, rated for lang/ smut R&R plz!
1. Freedom (Crazy in Here)

A/N: okay, so this is a fic i was hinting about on my dA page, a love-hate romance between Sesshy and our spitfire wolf princess Getsu. Getsu may seem a bit more _tsundere_ in this fic than she was in '**We Are**', so bear with me. tell me what you think of this fic in a review. thanks and enjoy~!

**disclaimer**: _i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me._

* * *

**_ Chapter 01: Freedom (Crazy in Here)_**

"**Getsuei-onee**!"

The door was thrown open to her room with a loud '_clack_' of wood, making her ears hurt; she groaned and rolled over in her blankets, curling into a tighter ball.

"Fer the love of the moon, Kori-chan, it's not even midday! Let me sleep…!" She moaned into her pillow, her voice muffled by the cushiony surface.

The blue-haired wolf princess sighed dejectedly and looked at a book that was left near the door, lifting it and getting a wicked idea, a grin forming on her lips; she looked over at the huddled form of her older sister still in bed. "But, Getsu-onee-chan!" She whined, shuffling closer to the older she-wolf.

"I swear to God if you don't leave I'm going to… **OW**!" Her threat was doused the moment the book landed on her head that was covered by the blankets; she yelped and spluttered a profanity before she scrambled out of the blankets to sit upright and glare up at her younger sister with dangerous silver eyes.

Korihime smiled innocently, or as innocently as she could muster, soft blue eyes betraying the innocence with a triumphant and mischievous glint that flashed in her orbs.

Getsu removed the book from where it had fallen in her lap, placing it on the tatami mat, and shuffling to her feet, coming to at least four inches taller than her little sister; a hand was placed on her hip and her silver eyes looked pissy, reminding her of a cat that had just had the shit scared out of it and now desired vengeance.

_Uh-oh_…

"**Start**. **running**." She spoke between gritted fangs; she gulped audibly before she slowly turned and walked out of the room.

_Can't a girl get some damn beauty sleep around here?_ She wondered inwardly, exhaling before she rolled her shoulders and let out another breath.

"_**YOU'RE SO DEAD, YOU LITTLE RUNT BRAT**__!_"

"_**MOTHER, GETSUEI IS TRYING TO KILL ME**__!_"

:::::::::xXx:::::::::::

The sound of rushing feet pricked her ears.

Lady Saya exhaled as she easily matched the owners to the noise, sipping her tea before lifting a clawed hand to brush stray locks of jet black hair behind her ear, tucking them in place behind the blue hairpin, her sky-colored blue orbs patient and rather weary as they stared at her reflection in the vanity mirror.

"There they go again," she thought aloud; _sometimes I wonder if I didn't birth two boys instead of girls_, she inwardly added to herself.  
The rushing feet were getting closer to her room.

She shook her head softly, straightening from doing her makeup to slide the door open… right as both her daughters scrambled in, the youngest in the lead, the older at the rear.

"M-Mother, Getsuei, she…!" Korihime rasped, scrambling to hide behind her mother's back as Getsu tried to get at her, skirting around their mother's average-height frame.

Saya sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"**Girls**!" She silenced their whines and curses with the single-syllable noun; her sky-colored eyes turned to her firstborn, darting a glance at her younger child.

"Y-yes?" Both princesses squeaked in unison.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "It's too early in the day to hear you two raising hell in the house, and need I remind you both that it is not ladylike to be swearing up a storm?" She lectured patiently, her blue eyes still pissy.

Getsu blushed embarrassedly and rubbed her right arm gingerly, smiling at her mother. "I'm sorry, Mama. It was my fault Korihime ran over here…" She began to apologize.

"No, it was me! I was the one who dropped a book on Getsu-onee's head, and got her angry." Korihime piped up, shuffling to stand beside her sister.

Lady Saya blinked in slight confusion before her eyes softened and she smiled. "Well, you're finally growing up, Korihime. And Getsuei, that was noble of you to take the blame for your sister's actions." She mused thoughtfully.

Korihime and Getsu beamed. "**Thank you, Mother**!" They declared in unison, embracing her.

She chuckled and held onto her girls, letting them pull away reluctantly.

A tentative knock sounded on the doorway, making all three female wolves look up to see one of the servants standing there.

"Lady Saya," the servant girl by the name of Yuri spoke.

She nodded to her, smiling kindly. "Yes, what is it, Yuri?" She wondered.

"Lord Kiba requests that Young Mistress Getsuei report to the meeting room. Another suitor has come forth to offer his hand," Yuri informed, pricking the ears of the older of the two princesses.

She nodded again. "Very well, she'll be there shortly. Thank you, Yuri," she smiled lightly, watching the servant girl bow humbly before she shuffled down the corridor.

"Another one?" Korihime wondered aloud once the maid had gone, looking at her older sister.

Getsu crossed her arms and huffed. "I still don't see why they keep coming; if anything, you're the one they should be askin' to marry, Kori-chan." She mused, making her ears twitch.

"Getsuei, you know as the firstborn of our family you have the duty to…" Lady Saya began to remind her daughter.

"Be first to marry. I know, Mama." She flashed a light smile at her mother's pursed-lip expression, waving it off. "I'm going," she sighed, leaning to peck her cheek lightly before she trotted out of the room to go get dressed.

Korihime watched her older sister leave and sighed, following her leave to help her.

* * *

A pout crossed her face.

She had –at the "helpful" suggestions of her little sister—donned a dark blue kimono with pale lilac lining the collar and sleeves, a deep purple obi tied firmly against her lower torso from the ribs down to her pelvis, light gray crescents embroidered into the silk of the kimono.

For some reason, she was alright with blue, but most of the time she loved red; she wasn't sure why.

"You look beautiful, onee-chan," Korihime beamed at her in the full-length mirror's reflection.

"I feel like a friggin' doll," Getsu grated between her teeth.

She giggled and smirked, watching her older sister sigh and turn to throw open the door to her room. "Let's just hope this one isn't as lecherous as the last two have been; Father was close to burning the head off of the last one because he tried to grope you at dinner." She mused calmly as she followed her out; she'd already gotten dressed, wearing her favored gray kimono with a blue obi embroidered with white stars on the fabric, her blue hair pulled back into a loose ponytail tied by a pink hairtie.

A shudder rolled down her spine at the memory and she grimaced, a fang showing in her expression. "He was pathetic. Men have always been idiots, no matter their race: human or demon. That's one thing you'll need to learn as you get older, Kori-chan. As women, we have to be stronger, and faster. Just because Mama tells us to be obedient and courteous doesn't mean we should have our tails between our legs around them. We need to remind them that we aren't beneath them and we're not meant to be sexual toys." She mused softly.

Her ears twitched at her words and she smiled slightly. "Wow, Getsu-onee, I didn't think you were that philosophical; those two centuries Father made you study seem like they paid off." She commented.

She blinked and then smiled back at her, chuckling. "Guess so, huh? Sorry if I rambled, I just…" She sighed softly and lifted a hand to rub her temples.

"It's these damn courtship meets, they leave me frustrated. And wanting to emasculate every sick bastard that has walked through the front gates and thought he could get away with trying to take advantage of me before getting to the marriage bed." She apologized, a growl escaping between her teeth.

She shuddered at that and bristled instinctively, nodding. "I wouldn't blame you, onee-chan," she mused.

:::::::::::xXx:::::::::::

The meeting room was quiet.

Lord Kiba sipped his tea, his silver eyes lifting from looking down at the light brown color of the warm drink to his guest; his cobalt blue hair was starting to gray, kept back in a topknot, allowing a few stray bangs to frame his stern-looking face. He wore a pale violet _kosode_ underneath his honorary black vest, navy _hakama_ and a light blue sash tied at his waist.

Though the last two suitors that had come for his daughter's hand were nothing more than 'pathetic letches' (according to his daughter's comments), this one… this one just might be the one; his silver eyes surveyed the latest suitor sitting across from him at the other side of the table.

A young man that looked as old as his firstborn daughter –five centuries, if he had to guess, even though the boy looked to be at least nineteen or twenty by human standards—sat across from him; long silver hair was kept in a high ponytail, allowing a few locks of said silver hair to frame his handsome face, intelligent and calculating gold eyes staring forward, the boy looking to be deep in thought. A blue-violet crescent marked the center of his forehead, twin maroon streaks marking his cheekbones, reminding him just what kind of demon this young man was: **dog demon**. He wore a white _kosode_ with red embroidered flowers on the left shoulder, light gray _hakama_ and a yellow and blue sash tied at his waist.

"I must thank you again for allowing me to be seen by your daughter, Lord Kiba." The boy mused, making his ears twitch.

He smiled faintly and dipped his head in a slight nod. "You're most welcome; I hope she will find you to her liking, Lord Sesshomaru." He returned.

A faint smirk flashed on his handsome face. "I hope the same. I have had trouble finding a suitable wife in my own land, so when I heard word that Lady Getsuei was having the same dilemma… well, I suppose the rest is history." He shrugged innocently.

He lowered his gaze to the tea. "None of the men that have come for her hand have been… approved, in her eyes; I must warn you that my daughter is, to use the vernacular, bull-headed." He looked sheepish.

His ears twitched and he uttered a polite chuckle. "I wouldn't imagine less, from the stories I've heard on the wind; it is something to be expected from a princess of the western wolf clan." He said thoughtfully.

He felt relieved at hearing that this news didn't upset the young lord, further fueling his belief that this dog demon could be his future son-in-law. "I must admit that it comes from my side; or rather that's what my wife has told me in the past." He chuckled weakly, sipping his tea.

He smiled slightly. "I would only hope that she has also acquired your patient manner, as well." He offered, mirroring him and sipping from his own cup of tea.

"Lord Kiba, forgive my intrusion, but Lady Getsuei is here." One of the other servants named Haku announced as he slid the door open.

He glanced back at the boy and nodded, smiling kindly.

"Thank you, Haku." He said, the door sliding open further as his daughter stepped into the room; the smile slightly fell from his face as he noticed that she didn't look pleased with being forced into the kimono she wore that made her look beautiful.  
He inwardly sighed, smiling warmly at her. "Getsuei, please come forward and introduce yourself." He beckoned gently.

She nodded, throwing a glance back at Korihime standing on the other end of the door that was cracked open a bit, seeing her wink, before she exhaled quietly and obeyed, shuffling closer to the table. "Yes, Father," she mumbled.

The young noble straightened to his feet out of a chivalrous manner, meeting her silver eyes: she was beautiful.

Her ebony black hair was kept out of her slightly round face (marked with a violet crescent on her left cheek, he inwardly noted) by various pins and adornments that were silver like her eyes, a dark blue kimono with silver crescents embroidered on the silk, lilac lining on the collar and sleeves, and a deep purple obi wound around her middle slightly concealing the curves in her petite frame that basically screamed she was female.

She blushed slightly at meeting his gold eyes, her silver eyes glancing to the silver tresses he had kept back by a high ponytail to his pale-looking garb that consisted of a white _kosode_, light gray _hakama_, and a blue and yellow sash at his waist; he was tall, too, at least a head taller than her, and he had maroon streaks on his cheeks and wrists, a lone blue-violet crescent marking the middle of his forehead.

_A dog demon?_ She thought, slightly baffled that another canine demon had come to ask for her hand. _Why a dog? I thought they had their own range of suitable females to choose from_, she wondered.

"Getsuei, don't stand there and gawk." Her father cleared his throat loudly, jarring both young nobles from their staring contest; he met her likewise-silver eyes and sent her a reproving look. "Lord Sesshomaru, may I introduce you to my eldest daughter, Getsuei." He nodded to the young lord.

He cleared his throat and flashed a smile at her, stepping away from his side of the table to move closer to her. "The pleasure is all mine, Lady Getsuei." He said in a smooth and rather low voice, taking her left clawed hand and kissing the top of her hand in that same chivalrous manner that had made him stand moments ago.

She blushed again and smiled faintly, nodding. "It's nice to meet you as well, Lord Sesshomaru." She replied softly, her ears twitching as he lifted his gaze and their eyes met again; a shiver rolled down her spine as she inwardly noted that his eyes looked like sharp gold moons.

He nodded slightly and moved away to shuffle back to his side of the table; she moved to sit down between her father and the handsome dog demon, folding her hands in her lap out of forced habit.

Lord Kiba smiled to himself at the two young heirs; _this might work_, he thought.  
"Haku, bring another cup of tea out for Getsuei." He ordered calmly without looking back at the door.

"Sir," he nodded and disappeared into the corridor beyond the doorway.

"Lord Sesshomaru has come from his own territory in the West to ask for your hand, Getsuei." He addressed his daughter, making her ears twitch.

She looked at her father and smiled slightly. "Really? Interesting. Lord Sesshomaru, how long have you been in our territory?" She wondered, looking at the young lord; _and why on earth have you come to ask for my hand?_ She inwardly added, keeping a polite smile on her face.

He relaxed a little when she spoke to him. "Not very long, a few weeks I would imagine. It wasn't a far journey, from my father's territory to yours." He shrugged.

She lifted a brow. "I've heard of your father; he sounds like a great demon. If I may, how is he?" She asked.

His slight smile faltered at the thought of his father currently spending time near humans, particularly with a human woman, with an inward wince. "He's doing fine. Your father mentioned that you've had trouble in choosing a suitable husband lately." He mused, pricking her ears.

She smiled sheepishly, lifting a hand to rub her neck. "So I have, yes. The men my father has allowed to come ask for my hand were pathetic; or rather, they were to me. They were only interested in gaining power by taking my hand, and other things I won't mention and will let you imagine." She replied, slightly bristling at the memory.

His ear twitched as he caught the slight bristle she showed, nodding. "Well to be frank, I only hope that you haven't passed judgment on me too quickly, Lady Getsuei." He said.

"It's 'Getsu'." Another sheepish smile. "Only my father and mother call me by my full name." She admitted.

He nodded again. "'Getsu'; I'll keep that in mind." He said thoughtfully; she was indeed a wolf by nature, he deemed.

Beneath the formalities, he could easily tell that she didn't want to be here; most of the men, from what he'd heard, weren't worthy of her hand. They didn't last long in their stays here at the wolf clan's mansion. She didn't look like any of the spoiled brats he'd met in his own suitor-perusing, which was a relief to him; but this female, she… There was something about her, a fierceness beneath her faked smiles and laughs, that same fierceness that screamed 'tomboy'.

_Is that why she hadn't chosen anyone, her independence... or is it something else? Fear?_ He wondered.

"Well, considering you two are getting along so well, I will say this: Lord Sesshomaru, you are welcome to stay in our mansion for a week. In that time, I only hope and pray to the gods that Getsuei will see that you are suited to be her future husband as much as I deem." Lord Kiba's words jerked him from his thoughts; both young nobles looked surprised.

"F-Father, are you sure?" Getsu managed, looking at her father imploringly, searching his eyes for some sort of reasonable explanation for his sudden declaration: was he insane? She hadn't even said '_yes_', for the moon's sake! There was no way in hell she was going to say that to a man she hardly knew!

Not even _close_…

"Thank you, Lord Kiba; I humbly accept your offer." Sesshomaru bowed his head respectfully, earning a look from the she-wolf.

_What the hell did her father __**do**__!?_

* * *

A/N: and so it starts... lol leave comments/ critiques and see if you can help me make this fic epic. thanks!

**Getsu**: please** review**! thanks~


	2. Live Fast, Die Young: Getting Accustomed

A/N: so i think the intro went well in the last chap, don't you? more love-hate angst coming up in the future so look forward to that! ^^ until then, here's chapter two. enjoy~

**disclaimer**: _i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me._

* * *

**_Chapter 02: Live Fast, Die Young: Getting Accustomed_**

"Father, why did you say that!?" She slammed her palms onto his desktop, a disbelieving and angered glare furrowing her thin brow.

The meeting had been over for hours, dinner having passed a few hours after the meeting; she hadn't been up to talking a lot during dinner, sitting closer to her mother's side of the dining room table and keeping quiet, noting that their guest was also quiet, leaving little room for her younger sister to hound him with questions (mostly on account of her mother's sharp threat to make her prepare dinner for a year if she so much as pestered the young lord). Dinner was quiet, save for the clinking of chopsticks against the china bowls and platters.

He blinked in slight confusion at her anger, relaxing and folding his arms across his chest.

"He's not like those other men, Getsuei. He actually seems sincere! Besides, I didn't see you complain about him when you locked gaze with him as soon as you entered the room." He saw her cheeks blush a shade of pink before she cut her gaze to the side; his silver eyes softened slightly.

"Getsuei, I don't want to leave this world with the thought that you were never wed, or gave me grandchildren. I'm doing this for you... for your own good." He stated quietly.

She folded her arms in the sleeves of her kimono top, sniffing. "I hate it when you bring up that stupid line," she grated.

He chuckled, "I'm your father; I'm allowed to say 'that stupid line', at least until it drills through your thick skull." He mused.

She looked at him with one silver eye before she sighed shakily, relaxing her sitting position and resting her weight on her left arm as she sat back a little, legs crossed as she used her right hand to scritch the back of her head.  
"You might have to wait a few more centuries, Papa," she pointed out, still sore that he had almost-literally pulled the rug from under her feet, lowering her gaze.

Lord Kiba sighed patiently, head drooping a little. "Patience is one thing you still need to learn, my little moon." He remarked.

Getsu blinked at his petname and smiled wryly. "Again, in a few more centuries." She shuffled to her feet, yawning widely and stretching her arms to the ceiling.

He smiled at her and shook his head softly; _perhaps it was a mistake to have put her in combat practice since she was a cub_, he thought. "All I ask is that you please, for the love of the moon, be good with this one. I have a good feeling about him." He sighed.

Her ears twitched and she pouted. "I can't make solid promises on that, but I'll try." She amended quietly, moving around his desk to throw her arms around his neck and peck his cheek sweetly, letting him tousle her hair gently, before she pulled away to trot to the door.

"Play nice this time, Getsuei." He added as she slid the door open.

She waved over her shoulder absently. "I will," she said calmly, slipping out into the corridor and closing the door shut behind her leave.

* * *

The feeling of an aura being exercised roused him.

He sat up from bed, looking about the darkened guest room he had slept in, inwardly noting that dawn hadn't yet come; his ears twitched as he felt for the aura again, tuning into the owner of the aura... A wolf demon?

He shuffled to his feet with a quiet groan, tying the sash of his white sleeping _yukata_ around his waist and securing the robe, moving to the double doors of his room.

Quietly sliding open the left door, he stuck his head out of the confines of his room to see a figure twisting and weaving in the rising sun's light that was starting to bathe the closed-in courtyard in a pale gray light; his gold eyes registered the figure and widened slightly.

The princess of the wolf clan thrust her left fist into the air, a soft grunt uttered under her breath, lowering her arm and twisting on her left heel, right foot being thrust into the air into the jaw of an invisible enemy, her muscles stiffening and releasing the kinks as she moved.

It was almost like she was dancing.

He slipped out of the room, leaving the door ajar, quietly sitting on the raised porch, getting a closer seat to watch the show; she had changed out of that kimono, he also noted, wearing a gray _kosode_ that had the sleeves ripped off at the shoulder, a purple sash tied at her waist, the _kosode_ barely covering her legs from the lower calf down, allowing him to see the muscles in her limbs that weren't covered by white bindings.

She was beautiful, sure, at first sight, but she was even more beautiful now that she was "dancing".

"If you're done gawking, breakfast will start in an hour." Her calm voice jarred him from his thoughts, making his ears twitch and a slight start escape him.

He scowled at being surprised, seeing that she'd stopped moving, the dance ending, now standing still, a hand on her left hip as she stood yards away from him, the gray light of dawn slowly bathing her petite body. "I wasn't staring." He defended.

She sniffed and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, her hand leaving her hip to cross her arms across her slightly-flat bust. "That's what all men say, before they pull something they'd surely regret." She scowled back.

He bristled a little at basically being called lecherous.  
"How would you know? You've passed judgment on men before they could even speak." He retorted.

_Ah, so he does have a bite_, she thought with an inward smirk. "You lot are all the same: you think with your damn dick. Just because my father likes you **_doesn't_** mean I'm going to swoon so easily, dog breath." She growled softly.

He bristled again and huffed, arms folding across his chest. "I didn't expect as such from a spoiled princess like you, wolf. And for the record, you should be grateful I came when I did; you would've grown _**old**_and **_barren_** as a damn **_brick_** if your father didn't deem that I am suitable to be your husband." He rumbled.

She flashed a fang in her grimace. "Don't act so damn pious, I know what kind of demon you are. Sooner or later you'll slip and show your true colors. And my father will see that you were _another_ **_mistake_**." She snapped in a brittle tone, turning on her heel to storm back inside, hopping onto the porch and retreating inside the mansion.

He snorted reflexively and stood to his feet, storming back inside his room and slamming the door shut behind him. "**Women**!"

:::::::::xXx:::::::::

She looked pissed.

"So how did training go?" She wondered, sidling to her right side as they made their way to breakfast.

Her shoulders were tense, a scowl set on her brow, her silver eyes looking like she wanted to kill something. "Peachy; just. fucking. **peachy**." She ground out between sharpened teeth.

She knew that tone; she sighed and crossed her arms in the sleeves of her kimono. "What happened?" She asked patiently.

She clenched and unclenched her fists. "T-that… _**dog**__!_ Sesshomaru… He's such a jerk! He's a damn letch, spyin' on me while I was training. And then he had the bleeding nerve to try and say that he wasn't spying on me! God, I don't see why Father had him stay here…" She explained between a frustrated growl that was caught between her teeth, her claws digging into her palms.

She nodded wisely. "Well, maybe Father's tired of seeing you turn down so many suitors and he thinks this might work." She guessed quietly.

Her ears twitched and she growled, knotting her fingers in the bangs of ebony on her head. "Sometimes I wonder if I wasn't meant to be the firstborn," she grumbled.

Korihime laughed sheepishly and smiled. "Don't act like that, Getsu-onee! I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding and you two will get along after today." _Or at least I hope so, before he gets his ass burned off by her fire_, she inwardly winced.

Getsu blinked and then sighed, her hand slowly dropping from her forehead. "Yeah, maybe it was just that." She mused aloud, still pissy.  
Sesshomaru was a one-hundred-percent lecherous jackass bastard and he wasn't worth her grinding her teeth over: it was as simple as that.

_Then why did he get under my skin like that?_ She wondered with an inward growl of frustration, gritting her teeth.

* * *

Breakfast was quiet, just as dinner had been the previous night.

He was still pissed with that wolf princess. He didn't talk with her during most of the morning and into the afternoon, which he spent time reading up on a book his father had recommended before his departure.

The birds chirped lightly in the trees around the mansion, adding to the hum of noises in the calm afternoon as he sat on the porch looking out at the closed-in courtyard, book in hand.

Her aura was close.

He tensed slightly before he willed himself to calm, keeping his focus on the words written on the page.

"Sesshomaru?" She began quietly, making his ears twitch.

"Come to insult me again?" He wondered, never removing his eyes from the page.

She huffed reflexively and her hands curled into fists at her sides. "Look, I just came to apologize for this morning. I… I didn't mean to judge you too quickly. Or call you a letch." She added the last bit quietly, perking his ears.

He stole a fleeting glance up at her; her gaze was lowered, her ebony hair (he noted) down and gracefully fallen down her back to her waist, a lilac kimono top with crescents embroidered on the right shoulder covered her torso, a gray vest cropped short of the wide green obi at her waist, navy _hakama_ being cropped short of her knees as bandages covered her legs from the shin down to her ankles.  
_**  
Definitely**__ a tomboy_, he thought with an inward smirk.

"Since when are **you** so repentant?" He asked, keeping his eyes on the book.

She blinked and then blushed slightly, spluttering a huff as she straightened her posture and crossed her arms at her chest.  
"Don't flatter yourself, I just felt like doing it. Besides, my sister wouldn't stop hounding me about apologizing to keep the peace for Father." She answered curtly, feeling like a flustered teenager.

He huffed quietly and inwardly cursed his lack of attention on the book, inwardly exhaling as he marked the page and closed the book. "So _that's_ why you came with your tail between your legs," he mused.

Getsu cocked a brow before she bristled a little, the blush darkening on her cheeks. "Let's get one thing straight, shall we?" She had to fight the urge to burn off that pretty hair of his with her claws. "Not once will I ever let someone like **you** make me tuck in my tail." She ground out between her fangs.

Sesshomaru looked up at her out of the corner of his eye. "'Someone like me'? And just what kind of man do you take me for?" He challenged quietly; even in his youth he always relished a good challenge, and this feisty she-wolf was as much of a good challenge as anything he'd ever been presented with.

She snorted. "Oh so now you ask my opinion? The almighty Lord Sesshomaru asking the opinion of a female! I'm honored, truly I am," she spat with heavy sarcasm.

He bristled at her insult, both gold eyes scowling up at her. "Just answer the question." He growled.

She huffed again, tapping her chin with a finger. "Let's see… ah what was it I thought of earlier…? _Now I remember!_" She glared at him. "You, sir, are a **one-hundred-percent ****_lecherous_****. ****_jackass_****. ****_bastard_**." She stated.

His ears twitched and he bristled again, huffing as he jerked his gaze away. "You're delusional." He snapped.

"You're impossible." She fired back.

He was trying really hard to refrain from beating her upside the head with his book. "Annoying mongrel." He ground out between his teeth.

"Jackass letch," she grated stiffly. _I gotta admit, he's not half bad when it comes to insults; if this ever passes, I'll have to request he spar with me_, she thought.

"Shouldn't you be arranging flowers or something to remind you that you're clearly a **female** and not an **atrocious tomboy**?" He sneered brazenly, knowing he'd hit a nerve by saying that she was an '_atrocious tomboy_'.

Her fists shook. "Why should I; you're clearly more feminine-lookin' than me. All you're missing is **lipstick**!" She grounded angrily as she could distinctly feel smoke rising from the top of her head.

He flashed his teeth. "Bitch," he growled.

"Dickhead," she spat at him.

He growled again and made to jump to his feet to get at her; she bared her teeth threateningly, bristling.

"Why did I have a feeling you two would do this?" A patient sigh sounded before a feminine hand pushed on his chest, forcing him to almost stagger on the porch, a second feminine hand halting the she-wolf from flying at him.

Getsu blinked in surprise, her anger subsiding, as she stared at the soft blue eyes of her younger sister. "K-Kori-chan," she fumbled.

Korihime sighed again, shoulders slumping, as she turned her gaze to the dog demon she'd kept at bay.

"If you two want to kill each other, great; do it in the woods or something. Don't do it here, not with Father so close by." Her blue eyes met his disgruntled gold and she smiled apologetically. "Please forgive my sister; she sometimes doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut." She lowered her arms to her sides, bowing slightly to him out of courtesy, before she rounded on her sister.

"C'mon, we're gonna be late for practice." She declared, hooking her left arm through her right elbow and dragging her away down the porch back inside the mansion.

She looked over her shoulder at him, silver eyes still slightly dazed.

He stared after the sisters' leave, his gold eyes catching her silver stare, before he looked down and picked up his book, pausing to see his claws had grown out of anger, or frustration; either way, she brought out one of those two emotions in him, dismantling his cool aloof composure single-handedly. He balled his hand into a fist.

_Why does she bring this out in me?_ He wondered, his lip curling in frustration at the conundrum she posed.

* * *

A/N: ahah i love putting my characters in love-hate relationships.. _/gets bricked _

**Korihime**: please **review** this chap! thank you~_ /bows_


	3. Lust: My Hands (Love, Love, Love)

A/N: chapter three is up! i might take a while to update for ch. 04 because this is all i have atm, truthfully, so be patient yeah? and enjoy the chap!

**disclaimer**: _i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me._

* * *

_**Chapter 03: Lust: My Hands (Love, Love, Love)**_

"Kori, what practice? Father ended my practice sessions a long time ago." She asked as she watched her admire the blue long bow in her hands, the quiver of arrows in her arms as she ogled her sister curiously.

She rolled her eyes and took an arrow from the quiver, adjusting it in her bow and extending her right arm back so her elbow touched her right cheek, her blue stare fixated on the wooden target yards infront of her. "I had to say something to get you to come with me. You two would've shed blood on the porch otherwise, and right after Yuri-chan and Ayame-chan had just cleaned it this morning before breakfast."

The arrow was released, making the wind whistle with the flying projectile as it sailed at the target; the arrow hit on the outer ring. She furrowed her brow, being handed a second arrow and repeating the same motion.

"Besides, Father wouldn't have been too pleased to see that his ploy for getting you two to like each other was backfiring." She added, releasing the arrow, watching it sail in the air.

**Bulls-eye**.

She grinned, looking at her sister to see she had set the quiver against a thin tree, arms folded in the sleeves of her kimono top; the grin faltered slightly as she saw the brooding look fixed on her pretty face. "Onee-chan," she began quietly.

She shrugged, looking at the target that had been impaled by the sharp heads of the arrows.

"Sorry I seemed out of line. I just… I don't understand any of this. First Father basically throws us together in an arranged marriage, and then the man he puts me with is practically impossible! And ontop of that, for some reason unbeknownst to common man or demon alike, he just… he gets under my skin effortlessly! I don't get how in hell he does it. But all I know is that it's pissing me off and I hate it." She growled the last bit, thin wisps of smoke rising from between her balled fists, her claws grown out of reflex when speaking of that aggravating dog demon.

_She might kill me for saying this, but_…

"Maybe Father was right; it smells like love to me." She mused, slinging the bow over her left shoulder and going to retrieve the arrows she'd shot.

Getsu stiffened, standing stock-still, before her face turned a shade of red. "T-that's the worst thing you've ever said to me!" She stammered, cutting her gaze to the side curtly at such a ridiculous notion.

Korihime smirked at the blushing and stammering sight of her older sister, taking the quiver from next to her feet and placing the arrows in it, slinging the strap over the shoulder that carried her bow. "I'm just calling it like I smell it, onee-chan," she said nonchalantly, hands clasped behind her back as she practically skipped back inside the further recesses of the compound, her sister trailing after her.

"Your nose is on the damn fritz," she growled under her breath.

She chuckled. "At least _my __**innocence**_ isn't on the line here," she replied in a sing-song voice, making her stiffen again.

Her face colored a darker shade of red before she shook her head fervently. "Gee, thanks for reminding me about that part!" She grated.

She smiled serenely, glancing back at her sister. "Honestly though, how are you planning on worming out of this one? The last suitor tried to take advantage of you the moment Father wasn't looking, and the one before that you caught him trying to swindle money." She asked curiously, tilting her head to one side.

She blinked before she quieted, tapping her chin with a finger. "You bring a good point," she mused, thinking.  
A lightbulb went on.

"Brilliant!" She snapped her fingers.

Korihime cocked her head to one side. "Well that was fast; what'd you come up with?" She asked, ears twitching as she saw a dark light shine in her silver eyes.

**Uh-oh**.

* * *

"_Oi_."

Something jabbed sharply into his ribs; his gold eyes shot open at the sensation of pain, sleepily lifting up to stare at the perpetrator through sand in his eyes.

The wolf princess stood over him, her hands on her hips.

He growled a curse, sitting up in bed and scowling at her, "**What** in hell possessed **you** of all people to come to my quarters?" He demanded tersely, his low and sleepy tone making his voice sound alluring.

She pulled something from behind her back, a long cylindrical item; she dropped it next to his futon. "Get dressed, we're going to spar." She stated calmly, unperturbed by his terse question, turning to throw open the door of his room that led out into the courtyard.

Sesshomaru grumbled under his breath about her insolence and atrocious behavior, nonetheless doing as told and following her out, noting that she had given him a wooden _shinai_; he tested the weight in his right clawed hand and scoffed under his breath.

_So she wants to challenge me, now? I never expected this from a brat princess like her… There's something off about this. Is she trying…? Of course: she's trying to get me in trouble!_ He thought, his hand gripping the handle of the _shinai_ in time with his conclusion.

Getsu watched him saunter over to stand opposite her, noting the lean muscles in his arms he flashed with the sleeveless blue _kosode_ he wore over his torso, the baggy black _hakama_ covering his legs. She blushed a little as she recalled the conversation she'd had with Korihime about the aftermath of their… marriage. She still shuddered at the word.

Regardless, it looked like he wasn't a novice when it came to wielding a sword; his right foot shifted behind him by a few inches, a strong enough sign that he was accustomed to sparring.

Being the son of a great dog demon, that didn't really surprise her.

A soft breeze stole between the two _daiyokai_.

"Whenever you're ready, dog breath." She spoke tauntingly.

His lip curled; _you have no idea what you're getting into, aren't you?_ He wondered before he lunged.

She caught his blow, a loud '_clack_' ringing in the dawn's air as their _shinai_ clashed.

::::::::xXx:::::::::

"U-um, milady, just how long has this been going on?" The servant asked hesitantly.

She shrugged, continuing to watch the match, "an hour or so? I lost count." She replied calmly.

"Shouldn't we stop them, before Lord Kiba says something?" She wondered, her eyes darting between the mesmerized princess and the clashing betrotheds.

"Father won't notice, it seems the match is just about over anyway." She replied, her soft blue eyes trained on the swift movements between the unofficial couple.

"Yes, milady," a shuffling of feet before the servant retreated back inside.

Getsu was well trained in wielding a sword; she'd spent at least a century's worth of time mastering the basics of wielding a katana and the other two centuries spent honing her wolf fire and close-combat skills.

But Sesshomaru… he was better, if that was even possible.

Apparently Getsu had done this on sheer willpower, bull-headed stubbornness… this didn't surprise Korihime.

She was always prone to jumping in headfirst; sometimes she wondered if their personalities hadn't been switched at birth, Getsu getting her calm disposition and Korihime getting her spitfire disposition.

Either way, she was in over her head… _Once again._

Dust flew in the air.

The she-wolf panted, dropped into a fighting stance, one leg slightly kneeling on the ground, the other thrust forward by her foot, the _shinai_ clenched tightly in both hands.

The dog demon also panted, mirroring her posture, although he was holding the handle of the _shinai_ in just his right hand's grip.

Smudges of dirt were on both young _daiyokai_'s faces, scratches here or there on their person, rips in the fabric of their clothes.  
Sesshomaru's left foot inched back as he prepared to lift himself and strike again, staring at his opponent stonily.

Getsu glowered at him, her kneeling leg lifting stiffly, as her clawed hands tightened on the handle.

She grunted and flew at him, breaking the monotony, swinging the shinai at his side.

He growled and narrowly swerved to the side, left leg extending and knocking her knees from beneath her, sending her to the ground.

A growl of frustration escaped her before she saw he was ready to claim his victory; she propelled a foot into his gut, roughly forcing him back as she scrambled to her feet swiftly, taking the chance and going for the killing blow, shinai aimed for his throat.

He slapped the blade away with his left forearm, ignoring the sliver of blood that flew from his instinctive block, his shinai swinging as he kicked her legs from beneath her, forcing her to lose her footing and fall on her back.

Dust flew up into the air a second time.

Both _daiyokai_ panted; she stared at the tip of the wooden sword that was aimed for her throat, glaring defiantly up at the victor.

He smirked widely in triumph, reluctantly removing the blade from her exposed neck and dropping his arm to his side; he extended a hand to help her up.  
"You fight well, for a female…"

He was silenced as she yanked on his arm and pulled him down, rolling him onto his back in the dirt as she extended her left fist at his face, pausing short of a few centimeters away from his keen nose.  
He went cross-eyed as he stared at her extended fist, feeling her body heat practically searing into his own as it radiated from her petite body that toppled him, legs spread, her chest heaving with the labored breathing escaping her lungs, beads of sweat dripping down her forehead.

She grinned widely and lowered her fist, fangs glinting as her silver eyes looked smug. "Should've seen that coming." She mused.

His brow contorted into a frown.

Before she could blink, she heard a growl rip from his throat and then she was on her back again, his strong arms caging her to the ground, his gold eyes burning like flames, sweat dripping down his forehead as he panted softly.

He grinned in the same triumphant manner, staring down into her baffled silver eyes. "I could say the same for **you**."

Korihime smiled to herself at the scene, even though she knew it was highly indecent for a princess of the Western Wolf Tribe to behave so provocatively.

Still, this was a sight that she wouldn't trade for the world.

Getsu stared up at his gold eyes, her chest still heaving only not as much as before, silver eyes baffled and reluctantly shining with defeat; there was a small part of her conscious that reminded her of the position she was in… or rather, under. The beast in her whimpered in what sounded like submission, reminding her just how close he was to taking her.

Sesshomaru watched her face become heated with a shade of reddish pink that stained her cheeks, a smug light shining in his gold eyes as he smirked triumphantly, feeling the beast inside him wag its tail in the air like a flag.

"Lunch should be starting soon." She called nonchalantly, jarring both _yokai_'s attention back to reality in a flash.

He blinked his gold eyes, looking at the submissive position he had her in before his cheeks flared red; he hopped to his feet, clearing his throat and dusting himself off, retreating to the porch; he bowed his head respectfully to the younger sister before he disappeared back inside to get dressed.

She watched him leave and smirked, hopping off the porch to help her sister up. "If I wasn't mistaken, I swear there was a spark there between you two." She mused aloud, helping her to her feet.

She bristled and jerked her hand free of her grip, folding her arms over her chest as she stormed ahead of her inside. "Don't be so damn delusional, there wasn't a spark: it was just a fluke he surprised me like that, that's all." She rebutted stiffly, dusting herself off.

Korihime shook her head softly and sighed as she followed her, "whatever you say, onee-chan."

* * *

_What was that back there?_

Her confused and innocent silver eyes flashed in his mind again for what seemed the umpteenth time within a few hours of their spar.  
Damn it, he couldn't get those eyes out of his head and it was annoying the hell out of him!

He couldn't even focus on the words in the book he was supposed to be reading.

With a growl of frustration he slammed the book shut and set it down on the wooden surface of the porch rather forcefully; his gold eyes glowered at the closed-in courtyard before him as his claws dug crescents into his palms.

"For a wolf princess she surely is bewitching," he grumbled aloud.

"My sister has that effect on men my father tries to set her up with," a voice declared calmly nearby, perking his ears and almost making him start.

He inwardly cursed himself for thinking aloud, looking up at the soft blue stare of Korihime, seeing her arms were folded over her flat chest, her cobalt hair gracefully fallen down her left shoulder in a braid. "May I join you?" She asked politely.

He shrugged, looking away and to the courtyard before him again. "It isn't my house," he replied.

She chuckled softly and shuffled to sit next to him, her lanky legs dangling over the wooden edge of the porch as she relaxed her posture and supported her weight on her arms that stretched behind her a bit. "I must apologize for my sister; even though she's the oldest, she doesn't act like it most of the time." She offered.

He smirked a little, "you're telling me. I don't mean to be blunt, but has she always been…?" He trailed off for lack of a word that wouldn't offend his future-sister-in-law.

"Bull-headed; as stubborn as ten mules?" She guessed.

He nodded. "All of the above."

Korihime lifted a hand to daintily cover her mouth as a soft giggle escaped her. "Sadly, yes; it's one trait I'm sad to say she learned from our father. He wasn't always the charming _daiyokai_ he is now, or at least that's what Mother says sometimes." She shrugged sheepishly.

Sesshomaru nodded again, sighing. "I must apologize this time, if it seems like your sister and I aren't… getting along." He replied, seeing her ears twitch out of the corner of his eye.

She smiled apologetically, "it's all right, I understand. Getsu has never liked any of the men Father set her up with; she's gotten rid of at least half of them through sneaking their true intentions out of them within a week, and Father almost burned the face off the previous one because he was in it for the dowry." She giggled at the last bit, the image of her father chasing a thoroughly-frightened suitor around the compound with blue fire screaming at the suitor's backside from his shaking fists amusing to her.

He shuddered, "if that's the case, I'm at least grateful your father has shown me favor." _So that explains the spar_, he thought, making a mental note to gloat to that insufferable female whenever they ran into each other sometime later on about besting her.

"As am I, and our mother. Getsu's celibacy is starting to become taxing on their consciences." She mused quietly.

Sesshomaru's ear twitched. "They sound like my own father. His wanting to see me happily married and with a future heir is the reason I was searching for a bride." He chimed.

Korihime blinked and looked at him, "and your mother?"

He huffed quietly, "she doesn't seem to care what I do, so long as it doesn't involve being prone to foolishness." He replied.

She nodded wisely, looking at the greenery of the courtyard. "You got off lucky with my sister, earlier this morning." She said, making his ears twitch.

"You saw the whole thing." It wasn't a question.

She nodded again, "all of it. But don't underestimate Getsu; she doesn't look it, but Father put her through enough 'rigorous' –as my mother labeled it, leastways—training for a few centuries, close-combat and swordsmanship included." She elaborated with a wry smile.

Sesshomaru nodded, "I'll keep that in mind. With her short temper it might even be frightening to piss her off."

Korihime chuckled, smirking. "Ah, you're learning early. Good! Most of the men she's been set up with usually don't learn of her skill until right before Father throws them out."

He tilted his head to one side, "like father, like daughter."

She nodded and smiled, "Getsu is off sulking somewhere, though, at the moment." She mused.

His ears twitched before he exhaled, "I suppose I should go try and be a peacemaker." He grumbled, regretting what he was about to do already.

Korihime chuckled, nodding to him. "Have fun!"

Sesshomaru smiled a little, shuffling to his feet and leaving her. "Ignore the cries of pain; it'll probably be some poor defenseless rodent being slain." He added over his shoulder.

She laughed softly. "I'll alert the press."

Well, at least he had gained a suitable ally in Korihime… the less feisty of the two sisters.

* * *

A/N: even though Korihime didn't get much of a spotlight in the first two chaps, i felt like giving her the spotlight in this chap; also, she, like Getsu, picked up a skill in weaponry: archery. she's not aspiring to be a priestess or anything like that, she just happens to be good with a long bow. at this point in time, her skill is almost as good as Kikyo's. figured i would put that little tidbit of info out for those of you who're curious. ^^

anywho, back to Getsu/Sesshy next chap so look forward to more angst! and possibly trolling~? ahah i love these kids... _/gets bricked_

**Sesshomaru**: ... **review**. thank you.. _/walks off_


	4. Begin (With an Ending) - Lesson Learned

A/N: _okay so i said i would take a while with updating on ch.04 __**BUUT**__.. surprise~! lol anywho, the angst is winding down for now and we're just gonna go trolling and mix in a bit of humor and drama in the future~. xD _/gets bricked  
_so enjoy~_!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha: my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 04: Begin (With an Ending) - Lesson Learned**_

It wasn't difficult for him to pinpoint the whereabouts of the sulking princess.

She was staring into space, sitting atop a high oak tree, almost concealed in the greenery of the leaves; a soft breeze tugged at her ebony hair she kept in a high ponytail, making the leaves dance around her; she'd changed out of her dirty _kosode_ and _hakama_ hours earlier, now having donned a simple red _kosode_ with white lotuses on the left shoulder and right hip with a purple obi tied around her waistline, her feet bare.

His familiar scent blew on the breeze, making her ears twitch; brow furrowing, she glared into the clear blue sky beyond the oak's shelter.

"Come to gloat?" She wondered as he came to a halt short of the base of the tree, feeling his gold eyes lift up to find her hidden in the leaves.

"I wasn't aware you had an affinity for hiding in trees." He remarked.

She ignored the vein twitching on her brow at his remark, huffing. "Just tell me why you came to pester me and then leave. I'm not in the mood." She snapped with thinning patience that was clearly evident in her voice.

He scowled up at her and exhaled, shaking his head. "Come down here, then; it's easier to talk when I'm not shouting up at you." He requested.

_Since when is _**he**_ so nice?_ She thought, huffing again and shifting her weight on the thick branch she was perched on. "Nope; you're just going to have to be a good puppy and bark up at me like a hound should rightfully do." She said nonchalantly.

His brow twitched in annoyance at her insult; _gods, you're impossible_, he thought with an inward groan, the muscles in his legs tensing for a spring as he exhaled. "Since you're being so damn difficult…" He leaped up in a single bound to her branch, making her almost jump as he landed gently, watching her head bump into a low-sitting branch overhead.

"**Ow**!" She yelped, rubbing her head gingerly and grimacing.

His shoulders shook with silent laughter, gold eyes amused at seeing karma in action. _Karma really is a bitch, my impossible princess_, he thought with a smug grin.

Getsu stared up at him through one watery silver eye, catching the grin on his lips and the hidden laughter in his gold eyes, as she rubbed her head soothingly. "S-stop laughing!" She snapped.

Sesshomaru crossed his arms in the sleeves of his _kosode_, smug and content in the same time. "Not even; this is too amusing. Besides, you deserve it." He replied coolly.

She glowered at him with both silver eyes, bristling. "For **_what_**, pray tell?" She grounded.

He looked very content with himself. "Tricking me into sparring with you this morning, and then those insults you spouted the other day… There's more, but I seem to have forgotten at the moment." He shrugged, slipping his hands free of the folds to list the reasons off on his fingers.

Getsu grumbled and leaned back against the tree, folding her arms over her chest, looking away as she blushed embarrassedly at having her plan foiled by an insolent bastard like the one present before her. "Piss off." She growled.

Sesshomaru mirrored her and exhaled. "Temper, my princess." He usually wasn't prone to being this smug and airy, but while she was still pissy and sulking… What the hell?

Her cheeks flared as red as her _kosode_ and she sent him a steely glare. "Don't call me that! Besides, we aren't even married, you arrogant mutt." She spat, looking away again.

He looked content again at seeing her squirm. "Not yet. Though I think I can get used to seeing this side of you… It really makes you look attractive, or at least more attractive than when we first met. Enough to almost make me forget your atrocious behavior…"

A spout of leaves was thrown at his face, catching him off guard; he deadpanned, spitting out a leaf that had landed on his tongue.

Getsu guffawed, grinning cheekily. "Karma, milord, karma." She said simply, happy with herself.

Sesshomaru growled as he yanked the leaves out of his silver hair, gold eyes flaring. "Childish brat!" He snapped.

She shrugged innocently, "what're you so huffy for? Unless you've got a problem with it?" She teased, keeping the cheeky grin on her lips.

His claws carved crescents into his palms. "You damn well know I have a fucking problem with it." He growled lowly.

"Milord, shame on you, speaking so callously infront of a princess! _My poor virgin ears!_" She declared, draping an arm over her brow in mock dramatics as crocodile tears fell down her cheeks.

A small branch was thrown at her head, making her yelp and almost fall off the branch; she blinked and shook her head of the twigs that got in her face, rubbing her eyes with her fists as she heard him chuckling.

"Bastard git!" She barked as she lunged at him, temper flaring, her clawed hands flying to his neck.

He caught her wrists, blinking as the end of the branch he sat on creaked before both _daiyokai_ fell down from the tree when the branch snapped.

Getsu yelped and clung to him out of reflex, burying her face in his chest.

Sesshomaru swore when his back hit the hard ground, having landed in a small patch of grass concealed by the brush from prying eyes.

She slowly looked up from having buried her face in his _kosode_, looking down at her cushion to see him rubbing his head with a hand gingerly, looking down into his gold eyes. "Are you okay?" She asked concernedly.

Wait, did she just sound _worried_ for him? What was wrong with her?

"Yes, my back broke my fall." He replied sardonically, looking up at her silver eyes and perking up: was that _worry_ in her eyes? He mentally surveyed that she was lying on his body, the _kosode_ she wore having risen up to her upper thighs from the fall, barely covering her backside, his own legs slightly spread when he'd landed on the hard grassy ground.

Getsu smiled in relief at his sarcasm, her ears twitching as she distinctly felt something on his lower person poke her pelvis, particularly the lower region… She squeaked and scrambled off him, sitting up and blushing furiously, cheeks blazing as red as the _kosode_ she wore that she now noticed had risen up on her thighs, almost flashing… Her cheeks burned a shade of dark red.

"Y-you didn't see anythin'!" She stammered, trying to get up and rush as far as she could get away from the attractive _daiyokai _that had been turned on at their latest position.

"Wait," he caught her wrist, surprising her, watching her cheeks flare a reddish pink that made her look beautiful; she looked at him shyly. "W-what is it?" She demanded, trying to muster her usual tough composure.

Sesshomaru sat up a little, seeing her sink onto her knees in response, feeling his manhood harden at having her so close to him, so close to… "I wanted to see if you were… alright, from this morning. I would imagine losing to a man who's courting you was hard on your pride." He declared quietly, seeing her ears twitch.

Getsu blushed more and looked down, feeling his reflexively tight grab on her wrist loosen gently, making her shiver as her beast growled in heat at being so close to the dog demon's well-toned body he hid beneath his gray _kosode_ and blue _hakama_. "It was, yeah, it was hard." She saw his cheeks color pink and his gold eyes briefly drop to his crotch before quickly looking at her, her own cheeks burning. "But I'm okay. I-I guess I just have to get used to losing once, to a male of all people." She shrugged, laughing weakly.

He smiled a little out of relief. "I'm glad." She blinked in confusion. "I mean, that you aren't injured from falling." He covered up quickly, a light blush of embarrassment stain his cheeks.

She nodded, slipping her wrist free of his grip, looking at the inner recesses of the mansion beyond the brush that concealed them from prying eyes, rubbing her left arm. "Is your back alright?" She wondered quietly, making his ears twitch.

He rubbed his back, wincing. "Sort of." He mumbled.

She looked at him, shuffling to her feet and extending a hand of aid. "Come on, I'll look at it inside." She offered.

Sesshomaru blinked in confusion; was she going to tend to his injury? This was a new one, even for her. "Right," he nodded, taking her hand.

Getsu blushed as she noticed her hand fit perfectly inside his larger hand, squeezing slightly before she spirited to the main building.

::::::::xXx::::::::

Having her in his room was… different.

It was a different case the other morning because the situation was different: he hadn't been turned on, then. Nor had she practically flashed him, then, either.

She looked at the fair skin of his back he presented to her after shrugging his _kosode_ off, lifting her palms up as a soft lilac glow came from her palms. "This might hurt for a moment, but bear with it," she warned quietly, eyeing the bruises that had formed particularly around his upper spine.

He nodded, perking up when she placed her palms on his back and a searing heat washed over his back; a soft growl was uttered between his teeth before he bit the inside if his left cheek to quiet himself, a cool rush extinguishing the heat that had overcome him, as her palms roved over his back; he shuddered, his shoulders slumping.

She finished tending to his bruises, letting him shrug the _kosode_ back on, sitting back on her knees. "Better?"

He nodded again, fixing the collar and looking at her, at her slightly disheveled black hair that was loosened from the fall earlier; a smirk formed on his lips at the break in formal monotony. "How are you able to do that?" He asked, seeing her ears twitch, as he shuffled to sit before her.

She looked down at the hands in her lap, shrugging. "My mother's bloodline, the women in her clan were gifted with the ability to heal. Being the firstborn, I also inherited the same gift, only according to Mother; the gift is stronger with me because of my being a pure _okami_ _daiyokai_." She smiled thoughtfully, looking up at his gold eyes and holding his stare. "Healing bruises is child's play." She mused.

Sesshomaru tilted his head to one side, earning a faint smirk from her. "Why did you want to heal my bruises, if they're simple enough for a demon like me to recover from?" He asked.

Getsu's cheeks warmed and she shrugged again. "I guess I felt the need to apologize for how I've behaved the majority of the week you've been here; mending an injury seemed the easiest to do, to me." She explained humbly.

He lifted a brow before he smirked again, "I suppose we've both been acting childish, haven't we?" He wondered.

She laughed quietly and waved it off, "yeah; talk about irony." She rubbed her neck absently, the blush staining her cheeks a light pink.

He smiled slightly. Perhaps he had underestimated her after all… "Your hair looks like a bird nest," he commented, perking her ears.

Getsu blushed again, huffing and lowering her gaze; she reached to undo the hairtie she used to keep her hair up, pulling her hair down and running her claws through the ebony locks, combing them out. "At least I didn't land on my back." She sniffed.

Sesshomaru chuckled, seeing her ears twitch again. "Cute."

She blushed more and spluttered another huff, raking her claws through the last few inches of her hair, wincing a little; she caught him staring and blushed again, scowling. "What?"

He shrugged and turned his gold eyes to the cluster of lotuses embroidered on her kosode shoulder. "It's nothing." He replied simply, shifting to that aloof tone once again.

Getsu huffed, shaking her head before she shuffled to her feet and moved to the door. "If you say so. I'd better get going before Korihime or someone finds me here," she mumbled.

Sesshomaru nodded, eyeing the curve in her hips momentarily before his gold eyes lifted to her silver gaze. "Don't want that spreading do you?" He mused, trying at a joke.

She blushed and laughed sheepishly, nodding. "Nope, not here anyway." She slid the door open before flashing a light smile at him. "See ya," she said, slipping outside and closing the door behind her wake, shuffling down the porch to her room.

He watched her leave and sighed once she was gone, lying on his back on the tatami mat.

It might've been his imagination, but he could swear that there was an attraction there, once they put aside their stubborn-child-antics, that is.

* * *

"Lady Getsuei," a polite knock sounded on her door the following afternoon.

She grimaced and stretched her arms to the ceiling with a loud yawn, scritching the back of her head with a hand. "What is it, Ayame?" She asked sleepily after having taken a short nap before lunch.

"Lord Kiba requests your presence in the meeting room; there's a business client there." Ayame informed, her voice muffled by the sliding door between her and the bedroom behind the door.

Getsu shuffled to her feet and tugged on the hem of her pale red casual kimono that had black cranes on the right hip and shoulder and a gray obi sash at her waist; she grimaced again at the business client thing, already knowing just who it was. _Again; doesn't that man ever learn?_ She wondered, sighing. "I'll be there in a sec; thanks, Ayame-chan." She replied kindly, pausing in the vanity mirror by her door and fixing her hair.

"Yes, milady," the maid shuffled down the hall and left her be.

A soft frown furrowed her brow when her silver eyes stared at her in the mirror's reflection; she exhaled again and ran her claws through her hair like a comb's teeth, reaching to tie her hair back into a loose ponytail, shrugging the ebony locks onto her right shoulder, slipping out into the corridor and making her way to the meeting room where her father was.

As the firstborn child in the family, Getsu was required to be her father's advisor when it came to business issues; most of the men who had come with proposals for him were treated kindly and were respectful towards her father, mostly because they feared his power as a strong _daiyokai_, but there were those that respected him enough to not cross him or swindle money from the clan's wealth.

But this latest one… She shook her head. There was something off about this latest client, and frankly, it pissed her off to not know what that something was.

Every word that came out of his mouth made her feel as if she was watching slime drip from his lips, poisonous slime, to top it off; he reeked of deceit and malice… and her father wasn't blind to this. Her father, being kind-hearted, respectful and honest as he was, disliked this client; of course he would never break from chivalrous mannerisms embedded for centuries in his head to rip the client's head off his shoulders like a barbarian. Her father wasn't that kind of man… When he wasn't on the battlefield, that is. On the battlefield that was a whole different world altogether!

She was at least grateful her father was on the same thought wave she was on.

"Onee-chan," her sister popped out from the courtyard to sidle up to her side, stirring her from her thoughts.

"Korihime," she greeted.

Her light demeanor faltered as she sensed her sister was tense; she glanced at her from the side. "Another business meeting?" She wondered.

She nodded, "it's that man again. The one that's been begging Father to work with him in the East?" She informed.

Korihime bristled slightly, "ah that one. Why is he here anyway? I thought Father had said no, a few years ago." She wondered, looking thoughtful.

Getsu bristled as well and huffed, "No, you know Father is too chivalrous to outright tell him 'no'. Besides, hopefully he'll turn him down this time around. That man sure is a persistent bastard." She mused grimly.

She nodded and sighed, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "Isn't that the truth? You do know I'm going to eavesdrop this time right? Incase Father contemplates burning his head off." She reminded, seeing her ears twitch.

She smirked at the thought and nodded. "Fine with me; though if you get in trouble with Mama, then you're on your own, ice queen." She ribbed her gently, playing a pun on her name.

She chuckled and elbowed back. "I'll survive; if you can survive Mother's lectures, then I surely can, too."

Getsu slid open the door to the meeting room once they finished their trek, her sister ducking behind her and hiding behind a wide red support beam near the doorway as she stood before the room. "You rang, Father?" She asked calmly.

Lord Kiba smiled in elation and happiness at seeing his 'business advisor' present. "Getsuei, come! Look who's here," he welcomed, nodding to the client that stood to his feet at seeing the she-wolf present.

A pale man with long wavy brown hair draped over his shoulders down his back wearing an elegant blue and violet _haori _over a dark gray _kosode_ and brown _hakama_; his red eyes glittered at seeing the lovely wolf princess present.

She fought the urge to bristle and flash her teeth in threat, nodding and bowing respectfully. "Welcome back, Naraku-san. I hope your journey here was safe." She greeted with the usual formalities, feeling like she was swallowing poison with each polite word she uttered.

The man nodded and smiled smoothly, making her insides twist in revulsion. "It was, thank you, Princess Getsuei, for being so kind as to listen to my business offer once again." He replied in a silky drawl that sent goosebumps down her arms.

She caught her father's likewise silver eyes and nodded, flashing a polite smile, before shuffling further inside the room to sit at his right across the table from their client and let the meeting commence.

There was something really off about Naraku: he practically oozed toxic poisons that made her sick just to look at him.  
It was almost like looking at a spider inspect its future prey.

* * *

A/N: and so it starts.. a couple of points here, i felt like putting in a little hinting at some smut between our lovebirds, only because, let's face it: what's a love-hate romance fic without some smut/smut-hinting? lol /gets bricked and another thing, yes Naraku gets a cameo! this isn't the only cameo he gets, so bear with me until the next one. anyway, that's all for now. til next chap~

**Korihime**: please **review** this fic! thank you~! ;D


	5. Dream On - Sing for Tomorrow

A/N: what is up with you lot,**_ no reviews_**_?_ how else am i going to keep writing without hearing some lovely feedback, constructive or just plain criticizing? anywho, aside from my miniscule rant.. enjoy the chap!

**disclaimer**:_ i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me._

* * *

**_Chapter 05: Dream On - Sing for Tomorrow_**

His ears twitched as he noted that she had been silent throughout dinner.  
Something was up and it didn't smell right; it made him bristle.

She wasn't her usual self, mustering up feigned politeness and kind smiles when addressed, hardly any sarcasm or wit from the ever-feisty princess that was soon to be his bride.

And now it was only less than an hour away before the wedding.  
A week had gone by fast; too fast to him, but he understood her father's rush for them to wed so he let it slide.

He sighed as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, at the black groom's garb that he wore; he only could imagine the sight of his future wife in the white bride's garb and he shivered.

Of all the females he'd been courting, Getsu of the Western Wolf Clan was the only one to make him shiver; and it was the good kind of shiver he got, too.

"Milord, it's almost time," one of the servants declared as they knocked on his door from the back hall.

"Thank you, I'm on my way," he replied, looking at his reflection one last time before he sighed quietly and made his way past the door and down the hall to the main room.

The stink of lesser demons stung his nose; his gold eyes sharpened and he looked about, ears twitching.  
As soon as the stink of lesser demons came it faded just as quick, surprising him.

He looked down at his hands to see his claws had grown out of instinct; he quieted and continued on his way, keeping an ear open... He only hoped he was hallucinating.

* * *

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, at the white bride's garb that covered her petite body; she sighed.  
"You look beautiful, onee-chan!" Her sister chirped as she poked her head into the reflection and smiled at her.

She smiled at her, briefly envying her for being able to wear a less… formal kimono –a baby blue kimono with white crescents on the left side and a silver obi, her cobalt hair done up with various silver pins—to the wedding. "Thanks, Kori-chan," she replied.

Korihime looked at her, holding her shoulders gently. "Are you still bummed about that meeting the other day?" She asked, cocking her head to one side.

Getsu met her sharp soft blue eyes and sighed quietly, nodding. "Sort of. I mean, even though Father turned him down, I still feel like there's something amiss; and it bugs me to no end!" She admitted.

She nodded and frowned a little, "well let's hope you're wrong. Today's the big day! You should be happy." She put on a light smile.

She smiled a little and nodded again;_ typical Kori, trying to cheer me up when she knows I'm down_, she thought. "Yeah, you're right!"

Both sisters smiled lightly.

::::::::xXx::::::::

That stink hung on the air.  
His ears twitched and his gold eyes sharpened as discretely as possible; damn it, where was that stench coming from?

A murmur of awe and surprise rose up from the audience of gathered friends and family; he looked up from catching whiff of the stench of demons, gold eyes widening.

Getsu walked forward calmly, arms folded in the wide white sleeves of her kimono, the white hood of the garb partially covering the ebony locks she'd had done up with various silver hairpins; her silver eyes were on him, widening a little at seeing him look so handsome in black. Her cheeks warmed, blushing that shade of reddish pink he found suited her best and made her look beautiful.

This woman was going to be his wife, as much as he was going to be her husband.

The stench faded from his mind, reminding him why he was present in the mansion of the great _Okami Daiyokai_, why he was standing in the spacious and flower-covered garden awaiting his soon-to-be-bride to stand before him and say 'I Do'.

She finally came to a halt infront of him, standing a head shorter than his average-height person dressed in the traditional black garb of the groom.

Her father smiled proudly at his daughter, feeling both proud and happy that she was at last going to be married; he looked between the two young _daiyokai_.

Her mother had tears standing in her eyes at seeing her daughter look so beautiful; Korihime beamed and was fighting back tears of happiness she felt for her older sister.

"We are gathered here today…" Lord Kiba began to announce before something jerked his attention away.

The stench of lesser demons raged on then, the greenery around them darkening and then dying to look withered and brown; a dark purple cloud enveloped the dead garden, closing in on the crowd and main family. A loud scream was heard from the back of the audience as a large horde of lesser demons sailed at the guests, attacking the hind rows vigorously; blood stained the ground and poisoned the air.

"_**Getsuei, run**__!_" Lord Kiba exclaimed, widening his eyes alertly as a sharp white-hot pain blossomed in his chest.

Getsu's eyes widened sharply as a green dragon-scaled stinger pierced through her father's chest, blood covering his chin and lower lip, silver eyes wide in horror. "F-father… **PAPA**!" She screamed for him as the stinger was yanked out of his chest and he fell forward.

"Getsu, let's **go**!" Sesshomaru shouted, grabbing her waist in his arm and sprinting away.

"**Father! Mother! Mama**!" She shouted as the purple cloud fogged the air, making her cough and cover her mouth with her sleeve. _This stench… it's poison!_ She thought in horror, hurrying as fast as she could at the dog demon's side.

"Getsu-onee!" Korihime came into view, her bow and quiver slung over her shoulders, a relieving sight to her older sibling.

"Kori-chan!" Getsu grabbed her wrist, pulling her to her side; she perked up as she was handed a long cylindrical item from her sister. She looked at the item and her eyes widened again, "this is…!" She began.

"I'll explain later, let's get out of here!" She interjected.

"Both of you, hold onto me!" Sesshomaru ordered, making both sisters look at him; he started to rise into the air, making them both yelp before Getsu latched onto his neck and Korihime threw her arms around his shoulders.

The three _yokai_ fled high into the air as fast as the wind could carry them.

Getsu looked down at her home, seeing black smoke rise up in cloud-like plumes from the mansion; she felt tears well in her eyes before she buried her face into Sesshomaru's neck, closing her eyes tightly against the feelings that consumed her.

Mourning.

Pain.

Confusion.

* * *

A/N: abrupt, i know. i wasn't entirely and still am not entirely familiar with traditional Japanese weddings so i might have to do some digging on that in the future. elsewise, compared to how i described Getsu's home being destroyed in 'We Are' i felt that this description was better and made more sense, y'know? anyway, i think that's all for now.

**_Sesshomaru_**: /winces from the bump on his head given by a certain princess ... **review**. thank you.. -_-


	6. Decisions: My Voice (Not Superhuman)

A/N: i did mention drama would be in this, and was i wrong? hell no. lol anyway, so now the girls are orphaned and homeless. so what's going to happen now? what will they do and who is the one responsible for the attack on their home? enjoy the chap~

**disclaimer**: _i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me._

* * *

**_Chapter 07: Decisions - My Voice (Not Superhuman)_**

It was nightfall by the time they landed somewhere in a dense forest.

Korihime was the first to let him go, landing gracefully on her feet and shaking her head like a dog ridding itself of water from its ears; her blue eyes scanned the dark clearing they'd landed in and she was slightly relieved to see that there were no evident threats lurking about.

At least, for now.

Getsu and Sesshomaru landed just as gracefully with Getsu holding tight to the latter's neck; she stumbled away from him, landing on her hands and knees on the grass and bowing her head as she retched.

Sesshomaru paused in going to her side as her sister flew in for him, holding back her hair and rubbing her back soothingly; he turned away from the stink of the stomach acid, scowling into the darkness around them.

Who was it that summoned that demon horde? Demon hordes were rare to travel of their own will in such a large number, especially to attack a family of strong wolf demons!

Soft sobbing sounded from the girls, making him look to see the blue-haired princess kneeled next to her sister, both of them weeping as the scent of salty tears stung at his nose.

He looked at both distraught sisters and his hands balled into fists at his sides; he exhaled, mumbling about getting a fire going as he went to gather firewood.

:::::::::xXx:::::::::

The flames burned vainly infront of them.

She picked at the flames with a twig, feeding it to the fire before she rubbed her hands briskly, looking up as he draped the _kosode_ of his groom's garb over her shoulders; her silver eyes met his gold and her ears twitched as she saw sympathy swimming in his gaze. She smiled weakly in thanks and held the folds of the _kosode_ close to her chest, her eyes shifting to the fire again.

"Who summoned those demons?" Her sister wondered softly, trying to get answers for the unanswered questions the sisters shared.

"Someone must have summoned them, a demon more powerful than they are…" He began to deduce.

"Naraku." She growled his name into the darkened night, making both _yokai_ look at her; her silver eyes were angry and pained as they glowered into the dancing fire.

"'Naraku'?" He repeated with a tilt of his head in confusion.

"He was a business client of my father's, before he turned down his offer. It has to be him; he's the only man I know of who would get vengeance on my father like that… That's just the kind of slimy shit he is." She explained before her sister could, her tone brittle and cold.

"You might have a point… but he's only a half-demon. He can't be that strong, can he?" She wondered curiously.

She looked down a little and shrugged. "I'm not sure, all I know is that if I ever see him again I will avenge my parents' death and kill him with my bare claws." She vowed lowly, staring down at her left hand to see her claws had grown in her anger; she balled her hand into a fist, claws digging crescents into her palms.

"Getsu-onee," she began softly.

She looked over at her worried blue eyes and her eyes softened in that sisterly way she knew too well, "get some sleep, Kori. It's been a long day." She ordered quietly.

Korihime nodded, smiling softly and embracing her in a one-armed gesture before she shuffled to lie down a few feet away from them, amber light from the fire catching on her back she showed as she curled up on her right side and soon drifted to sleep in a few minutes.

Getsu smiled at her before she looked at the fire again, her eyes tightening at the image of seeing her father stabbed in the heart by a stinger limb. "You don't have to stay, you know. We're not getting married anytime soon, and considering all that happened today, I would imagine you don't want to stick around two orphaned sisters…"

"I'm not leaving you." Sesshomaru stated, surprising her; she looked up at him, silver eyes awed. He looked at her sternly, "Even if we aren't going to be wed, I still feel I need to protect you. We **are** still fiancés, are we not?" He mused.

She quieted and blushed humbly, nodding; she looked at her knees she'd gathered to her chest and smiled bitterly. "You're one stubborn dog," she mumbled.

His eyes softened and he chuckled quietly, looking at the fire. "Shut up." She giggled quietly at his words; he stole a look at her out of the corner of his eye, looking at the dust-covered white kimono she wore from the ceremony and he smiled to himself. "You look beautiful in that." He commented softly.

Getsu's cheeks warmed to that shade of reddish pink he adored, her gaze cutting away from his. "Bullshit, I look like _oni_ shit, in this damn dress and then after I puked earlier… How can a man think I look beautiful like this?" She wondered quietly.

Sesshomaru lifted a clawed hand to tuck a few loose strands of ebony behind her left ear, surprising her again; his eyes were soft when she looked at him. "Not just any man has spent an entire week trying to get past the brick wall you put up. Besides, even if you look horrible, you're still you, the you I will one day marry." He stated in the same tone.

"Sesshomaru," she murmured, quieting in defeat and lowering her head, blushing. "Since when are you being this kind?" She grumbled.

He smirked softly, lowering his hand, "Since now. If you have a problem with it, I can always go back to calling you an atrocious tomboy…" He began to wager off-handedly.

"No." Getsu saw him quirk a brow at her decline, smiling sheepishly. "I actually like this side of you better." She admitted.

Sesshomaru smiled slightly, nodding. "I'm glad." He mused.

She nodded back, leaning her head onto his shoulder; he quieted and looked down at her. "Getsu," he began.

"Just let me sleep here, please." She pleaded softly, closing her eyes.

His eyes softened at her and he exhaled. "I'm not leaving your side." He promised quietly.

She nodded slightly, starting to drift to sleep. "Good, I...I don't want you to," she murmured, consciousness escaping her as she fell asleep resting against the handsome _daiyokai_ that was her fiancé.

* * *

Birds chirped in the trees around her.

She roused, opening both eyes slowly, looking to see her sister was sleeping a few feet away, her back to her; her ears twitched as she heard steady breathing coming from the warm body next to her, looking at the person.

Blush stained her cheeks at seeing the handsome Sesshomaru sleeping peacefully next to her; his arm was around her waist, his body snuggled close to her back so her petite form fit into the concaves of his well-built body, leaving little-to-no-visible gaps between them.

Her eyes softened as she looked at his sleeping face, recalling the memories of the following night where he'd promised to not leave her side.  
_If I didn't know any better, I'd believe he's changed_, she thought with a smile.

He stirred against her, making her ears twitch again; she blushed again when his eyes opened slowly to reveal sleepy gold moons. The gold gaze roamed from the grass to the dead embers in the campfire to the awakened female in his arms; blush stained his cheeks pink at having her in such a position, especially so close to his body, and particularly...

Getsu squeaked when she felt something poke her upper backside; she scrambled away reflexively, blushing furiously, looking at him as he sat up and sent a glare down at his crotch, his gold eyes lifting to her slightly bewildered and flustered silver stare.

"Sorry," Sesshomaru grumbled, looking away in shame, the blush returning and turning a darker shade of pink.

"N-no, it's okay." She rubbed her neck gingerly, looking at his groom's garb and then looking down at her bride's garb and her shoulders slumped.

It wasn't a dream: her home really had been destroyed by Naraku.

She eyed the grass in his silver hair and she chuckled, seeing his ears twitch.

"What's so funny?" He wondered, making a face.

"Nothing," she replied innocently, giggling when he pouted, the pout making him look younger than his responsibilities and title intended for him to be.

A yawn sounded from her sister before she shuffled and sat upright, stretching her arms to the sky.

"I see nothing ever deters your demeanor, Kori," she mused aloud.

Korihime looked at both _daiyokai_ and smirked lightly, "well, Sesshomaru,_ this early_ in the morning? _Gods_, you must've been **dying** to get to the marriage bed." She teased, seeing him blink once or twice.

Both Getsu and Sesshomaru's faces turned scarlet red at the notion that he had been turned on so early in the day. "**Piss** **off**!" They snapped defensively in chorus, matching veins twitching on their brows.

She giggled.

::::::::xXx:::::::::

Sesshomaru grumbled.

Korihime, being the smart female wolf that she was, had brought along an extra change of clothes for them before they'd fled the ruined mansion the day before; he had already changed into the clothes she'd brought for him –his white _kosode_ with red flowers on the left shoulder, his stole, yellow sash, black armor pieces, white _hakama_ and dark navy boots—and was now awaiting his two female companions in the clearing.

Korihime was quicker than her sister, coming out from the thick brush fully dressed –a light blue kimono with the sleeves cut off at the shoulder and the hem reaching to her upper thighs, dark blue leggings that were cut off at the shin, a wide white obi tied at her waist by a blue ribbon, pale gray wolf fur lining the shoulders of her kimono, and knee-length dark gray boots on her feet; her hair was tied back half-way by her pink hairtie, flashing the gray star birthmark on her right cheekbone—with her blue long bow and beige quiver slung over her right shoulder.

She smiled lightly at him, looking over her shoulder into the brush. "C'mon, onee-chan, yer taking forever!" She declared.

"Quit bitching, I'm coming!" She barked indignantly, a rustling of brush and grumbled curses sounding before she walked out into the clearing.  
Getsu stood there with her arms crossed at her chest, also fully dressed – her lilac kimono with crescents embroidered on the right shoulder, dark gray vest that was cropped by the wide green obi sash at her waist, navy _hakama_ and bindings covering her light-skinned legs from the shin down to the heel, her feet left bare; her ebony hair was done up in a high ponytail that was tied by a blue hair-tie—with a black katana that had teal fabric on the hilt and silver on the handle and tip of the hilt kept at her left hip.

Her eyes met his and she blushed slightly at seeing him look… well, regal. As was the way of being a _daiyokai_.

He cleared his throat and looked away out of reluctance, "you look better." He mused.

She blushed again and smiled sheepishly. "So do you." She mumbled.

Korihime rolled her eyes at the couple's shyness. "So where do we go from here?" She wondered aloud.

Getsu looked at him again and shrugged, at loss for where their next destination was. "Well, we could follow Naraku's stink. He **is** the reason we're in this situation…" She offered.

Even though she was the firstborn of their family, she was never good at being alpha; she was used to following, not leading…

"That's a start. Albeit dangerous." Sesshomaru agreed thoughtfully, perking her ears.

"Noone bothered to catch which direction he went then, I guess?" Korihime wondered of the older two of their small group.

Both _daiyokai_ shared a look before the she-wolf sighed. "I suppose we should retrace our steps and find out where he went; the scent of poison would probably still be there after last night so it should make things easier to track." She proposed quietly, grimacing at the thought of seeing the ruins of her home.

He nodded, seeing her younger sister nod as well.

Back home it was.

::::::::xXx:::::::::

The trio landed gracefully.

Getsu was the first to walk forward, her silver eyes saddening as she looked at the remains of their territory.

The land looked gray and brown… utterly dead; the main building of the mansion was ruined, soft wisps of smoke rising up from the fire-devastated place she had once called home.

Storm clouds were beginning to gather overhead, thunder grumbling above them as the clouds were beginning to threaten the trio with impending rain.

"Come on," Sesshomaru took her hand and led her forward, Korihime following; she let him drag her closer, blushing a little at having his hand holding hers rather tightly.

It was an hour or so later and so far they hadn't caught much of a lead, as disheartening as that was.

Korihime moved to the garden (or rather, the ruins of the garden) and sniffed the air; her eyes widened as she caught the scent of poison. "Getsu-onee, Sesshomaru!" She called.

Both _daiyokai_ came rushing forward, skidding to a halt infront of her.

Getsu sniffed the air and her nose wrinkled before she smiled and clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Great job, Kori, you got a lead." She declared.

"Yes, really, great job, Princess Korihime." A familiar silky voice drawled behind them, surprising all three _yokai_.

* * *

A/N: **CLIFFHANGER**. lol nah but srsly.. *cough* free cookie to whoever can guess the voice belongs to~

and for once i'll drop the harping on reviews. if you guys don't want to review, don't. i can't force you or anythin' like that. as an artist and writer, it's just a habit at this point in time to want to hear feedback, good or bad. anyway, no review harping for now, 'kay? ^^


	7. Lungs, pt1: Run, Howl, Sun

A/N: _**SHOUTOUT TO VAMPIRESIREN THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS YOU'RE THE BEST! /cries waterfalls of joy **_

*_cough_* now where were we.. ah yes! where we last left off, the trio (Sesshy, Getsu and Korihime) had retraced their steps to the ruins of the Western Wolf Clan mansion to pick up a lead to follow Naraku and get revenge for what he did. Korihime found a lead but before they could follow the scent a stranger appeared. who is this stranger?

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 07: Lungs, Pt1: Run, Howl, Sun_**

A figure cloaked in a hooded beige pelt with a blue baboon skull stood there solemnly, reeking of the same poison that they had caught the scent of.

"_Naraku_," she hissed as her fiancé extended his arm infront of them protectively, bristling like mad as both she-wolves bristled as well. "What do you want?" She demanded.

The figure seemed to sneer. "I came to offer my condolences for your parents' devastating demise. And a proposition." He bowed lightly before straightening, the blue mask starting to get on her nerves as she had the instinctive urge to swipe it off with her claws.

"'Proposition'?" Her sister repeated softly.

The figure nodded. "Work with me, and I will bring your parents back from the grave they did not deserve." He stated.

Both sets of blue and silver eyes widened.

Getsu was the first to recover, bristling angrily. "At what **_cost_**, Naraku?" She spat.

The figure shrugged calmly, undeterred by her angered tone. "There is no cost, not for the last two she-wolves of the Western Wolf Clan; I only offer protection and power for you both. Even a new life." He explained in that drawling voice.

An arrow being loaded into her long bow sounded as the string creaked and she aimed the arrow at his head. "_**That's a load of crap and you know it**__!_ You're a fool to think either my sister or me would ever work with a disgusting **_half-demon_** like **_you_**." Korihime snarled coldly, her blue eyes icy as she gritted her teeth.

The figure snickered, "ah so you found out my true lineage. You will regret not working with a powerful demon like myself… just as your father should have regretted it before his heart was eaten by my demons." He growled lowly.

The arrow screamed at the figure, making a direct hit with the spot where the throat should have been; the figure crumbled into large clumps of smoking dirt, the illusion fading as the arrow lay on the ground a few feet away from the dirt clumps.

Korihime swore under her breath and moved closer to retrieve her arrow, lifting it off the ground and, after noting that it carried no scent of poison or danger on the projectile, placing it back in her full quiver.

Sesshomaru looked at the older of the two, seeing her fists were shaking at her sides. "Getsu," he began quietly.

Getsu snarled and flicked her wrist, sending a small jet of blue fire at the dirt clump and setting it aflame, the putrid stink of poison rising into the air when the flames burned the dirt clumps. "We follow him; Kori, let's move." She ordered, sprinting in the direction his scent led.

He followed until he was at her left side, her sister flanking him as the trio set off in search of Naraku.

_That vile bastard… He'll regret the day he ever fucked with my family!_ Getsu vowed.

:::::::::xXx:::::::::

Stars shone brilliantly overhead.  
His gold eyes stared up at the full moon that sat in the middle of the velvet sky, reminiscent of a giant white orb of light and solace.

It was several months already and they hadn't had many good leads; the ones that did seem good were only wild goose chases and they were basically brought back to square one all over again.

He hated getting the run-around.

A crisp breeze stole through the small clearing they'd taken shelter in, making him tense a little and dig the claws of his left hand into the stole at his right shoulder, bringing it closer.

He looked over at the two females he was traveling with; the blue-haired Korihime slept peacefully by the fire, turned on her left side and away from the amber glow of the fire curled up in a ball; his eyes roamed to the ebony-haired Getsu that slept across the fire from her sister, sleeping soundly as she was slightly curled into a ball as well, his eyes softening at the sight.

It was because of this she-wolf that he was out here in the woods, tracking the scent of that vile half-demon.

She shifted a little and exhaled softly, stirring his attention; he smiled a little.

But even though he should have left, even though he should have gone back to his own home, he didn't mind this. As much as his former self would have never believed possible, she was worth it.

"You look cold." Her soft sleepy voice jerked him from his thoughts; he blinked, looking to see her silver eyes were open half-way, glancing over at him as he sat against a tree keeping watch over them.

He shrugged. "I'm fine, get some sleep. You need it more than me," he replied quietly.

She shuffled and sat up a little, right arm supporting her weight, throwing him an instinctive eye-roll. "Liar." She sniffed, nimbly lifting herself up to move closer to sit with him against the tree.

A pout made its way to his lips. "Shut up," he grumbled, looking away as she snickered softly.

For the past two weeks, due to the crisp uptake in climate –a sure sign that winter was on its way— she had fallen asleep close to his side, but in the mornings she would be snuggled into his chest or his back, clinging to him for warmth. It wasn't like he minded, not like he once would have several months back; considering she had the gift of using fire, she was actually a source of warmth in and of herself.

His inner beast, on the other hand, was doing the lewd thought-process for him, especially when he would wake up the next morning with his arms around her small waist and her backside pressed so very close to his manhood. Of course he silenced the beast's perverted notions as soon as they made him aware of just how close he held onto his female counterpart, but even as he did so, sometimes he couldn't deny that it had a point (non-literally-speaking).

"Sesshomaru," she began softly, jarring him from his thoughts; she noticed that he had stiffened minutely while sitting next to her, a twinge in his cheek making his upper lip curl as if he was inwardly arguing with himself… Or his inner demon, which wouldn't have surprised her.

Her own inner demon had been tamed long ago, as soon as she had fully mastered and perfected her inherited wolf fire, that is; being so close to her betrothed had made her inner beast rumble in the face of a challenging case such as Sesshomaru of the West.

"What is it?" He demanded rather gruffly, perking her ears.

She quieted and then shrugged, "you seemed lost for a second back there, I was just checking to see if you were still in the world of the living." She mused.

He quieted at this and looked at the campfire, "I'm fine." He mumbled.

"You're lying again." Getsu sighed and shook her head softly, making his ears twitch.

Sesshomaru eyed her from the corner of his eye, "how am I lying?"

"You say that you're fine, but my nose tells me otherwise. I may not be an _Inu-Daiyokai_ like you but I **_am_** an _Okami-Daiyokai_, therein making my nose sharper than yours." She explained, seeing his ears twitch again.

He made a face, grumbling under his breath and looking away again. "Damn," he growled.

She smiled cheekily, the smile faltering before she sighed and followed his gaze to the dying embers. "Is your home bigger than mine was?" She asked quietly.

Sesshomaru blinked at the strange question; he quieted and smiled a little. "If you're referring to how large of a mansion it is, then yes, it's spacious." He mused.

Getsu smiled slightly, nodding. "Sorry if I sounded jealous or something, for asking about your home." She muttered.

He looked at her, exhaling and lowering his gaze. "Once you've gotten your vengeance against Naraku, will you want to go back to the West?" He wondered.

She looked up at him, quieting and recalling her parents' smiling faces in a much brighter time; she shrugged. "I don't have much of a choice, do I? I mean, the Western lands are first and foremost your territory, not mine; my clan only lived there for a few centuries, compared to how your father conquered the land and claimed it as his own. Besides, since we're supposed to marry one day, then I don't have much say in deciding where to live." She replied softly.

Sesshomaru nodded, looking at her and seeing a sad light flicker in her eyes. "You miss them."

"Every day." A sharp inhale before it was released, a nearly-translucent fog escaping her lips. "But I keep seeing my father, in his last breath before he died… And it only makes me want to rip that slimy fucker to shreds for laying a hand on a demon that could have just as easily crushed him with a flaming fist." The growl of anger rumbled in her chest before it rose to escape from between grinding teeth, her fangs showing.

"You behave a lot like him, your father." He mused softly; she looked up alertly at the mention of her father, seeing his gold eyes look wistful. "Of course I have yet to see you in combat, but I would imagine you fight just like the _daiyokai_ you were born to be."

She blushed humbly, lowering her gaze out of shyness as her cheeks flared that hue of reddish pink he loved to see stain her slightly round cheeks. "Don't think you can flatter your way to get me into your bed, dog demon." She warned, shooting him a look.

Sesshomaru chuckled and smiled cheekily. "I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about."

Getsu snorted, keeping her gaze lowered. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

His claws dug into the stole on his shoulder as another breeze stole past them, scowling at the fire. "Shouldn't **you**?"

She smirked a little, "I thought I'd keep you company."

He looked at her and then smirked slightly, looking away. "Your antics cease to surprise me."

Getsu smiled, resting against his left shoulder and sighing. "Your ego ceases to get any larger."

Sesshomaru's eyes softened at seeing her get accustomed to her usual sleeping position resting against him, shrugging the stole from his left shoulder to reach and fold it across her shoulders, seeing her open her silver eyes and blink in confusion.

She quieted and blushed slightly at his gesture, pulling the stole to fold over her left elbow; this is warm, she thought, leaning against him again and closing her eyes.

He smiled a little at seeing her eyes close and she soon fell asleep; he gingerly lifted a clawed hand to stroke her hair.

* * *

"_**Lord Sesshomaru**__!_"

His gold eyes shot open at the formality; the female he'd fallen asleep with yelped and scrambled away from him, her sister leaping to her feet at the noise, both she-wolves reaching for their weapons as he stood quickly.

A small green imp demon sprinted forward into the brush, slightly surprising both sisters, as they noted he carried a staff with two heads on either side of the staff, one pointed forward and the other behind.

His shoulders slumped and then straightened effortlessly as he looked at the imp that skidded to a halt just short of where he stood, flopping over and panting from having run so far and fast. "Jaken, what possessed you to seek me out?" He wondered, turning business-like, irking the female _daiyokai_ as her sister's ears twitched.

"M-milord, it's your father! He…" The imp started to weep, fat tears falling down his cheeks as his bulging yellow eyes looked up at his master. "Sire, he's dead!" He cried hoarsely, weeping harder.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened sharply; Getsu and Korihime gasped in chorus.

* * *

A/N: dun. dun... **CLIFFHANGER**. again~ xD just a note i will give a small spoiler and say that the cause of death of the Inu no Taisho will be mentioned in the next chap, therein giving a small glimpse of what happened in Swords of an Honorable Ruler. just an FYI. until next chap!


	8. Lungs, pt2: Mourners, Loss, Pulsing

A/N: where we last left off, the trio had a run-in with Naraku, or rather one of his puppet messengers, with the proposition for both Getsu and Korihime to work with him.. well of course the girls declined this offer, i mean who wouldn't? at the end of the chap we find that the Inu-Daiyokai the great Inu no Taisho has died.. and that's where this chap begins. enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 08: Lungs, Pt2: Mourners, Loss, Pulsing_**

"Father?" He breathed before his gold eyes sharpened again, looking cold, as he grabbed the imp by the scruff and lifted him up, making him yelp and flail. "How did he die, Jaken?" He demanded lowly.

The toad-looking imp looked into his angered master's cold gold stare, whimpering a little. "H-he died defending a human woman who had birthed him a son… a half-demon!" He informed, squawking when the _Inu-Daiyokai_ dropped him to the ground.

He glared at where the imp had been held at, his hands dropped to his sides and balling into fists that began to shake.

The older of the two sisters shared a look with her sister before she wordlessly approached him, lifting a hand to his shoulder. "Sesshomaru," she began softly.

He shook her hand off with a terse growl, making her flinch a little, before he quieted and looked away from her concerned silver stare that bore into his skull. "I'm fine. Let's go." He growled softly, turning on his heel and leading the way into the thick brush.

She stared after him and sighed a little, looking at her sister and nodding. "C'mon," she mumbled, following him quietly, the blue-haired female at her heels.

"W-wait for me, Lord Sesshomaru!" The imp squawked before he flew after the trio of _yokai_.

::::::::xXx::::::::

Korihime sighed.

They had been traveling for three days nonstop with Sesshomaru spear-heading the lead position, her concerned sister Getsu at his left, and she herself at her sister's heels.

The imp had followed them along the three day trek, strangely quiet despite the fact that both females could easily tell he was the annoying type.

Apparently males took losses differently than females; it was just as her mother said once, long ago in a memory she had kept from her puppyhood.

She didn't really blame him, to be honest: losing their father was hard on both she and her sister, even though they kept the grief buried deep inside their broken hearts, so she could only assume that, seeing as Sesshomaru was an only child up until recently, losing his father was exceptionally hard on the currently-grumpy-and-silent _Inu-Daiyokai_.

Poor guy.

Her blue eyes briefly roamed to the imp behind them and softened a little out of sadness and sympathy.

Jaken was being quiet for his master's sake: he was letting him have time to grieve his loss.

Even though he clearly looked to be annoying if he ever opened his mouth, Korihime had to give him credit for maintaining his respect for his master's grieving period.

:::::::xXx:::::::

"Sesshomaru."

He jerked his gaze up from looking into the darkened green, meeting her silver eyes; he paused in beginning to respond as he saw the currently-present concern flash in her gaze, and something else was there too… Was it sympathy? Or was it pity?

Either way, both of those feelings were something he did not currently wish to be showered with: he had always hated pity, especially moreso if it was extended to him, the son of the great Inu no Taisho, a purebred _Inu-Daiyokai_…

But he didn't feel hatred towards her, for being like that: he could easily sense that this wasn't out of self-gain... she just wanted to help.

"What is it?" He finally replied, his voice quiet.

He had to give her credit for being able to keep at his pace, despite the fact that her legs were shorter and didn't seem to be built for endurance, moreso speed.

"I'm sorry for your loss." She apologized softly, making his ears twitch.

This, even though he was expecting it sooner or later, took him by surprise; he was getting condolences from a female that had lost both of her parents, as well as home she had known for the majority of her life?

He nodded a little, meeting her sympathetic silver eyes. "Ironic enough that I am the one receiving condolences instead of vice-versa." He mused.

She blinked before she smiled weakly and nodded, looking down. "I know it is. But look at it this way, I mean, you have a pack now, y'know?" She tried to lighten his mood, as she had been hoping to do since a week ago. "Kori, Jaken, me… We're your pack." She nodded a little in the direction of her sister and the aforementioned imp, looking up at him and seeming to silently hope that he would let it wash over like water from a duck's back.

His gold eyes widened a fraction at her words before he quieted and lowered his gaze, "I hadn't thought of it like that…" He looked up, gold locking on silver. "But I must apologize for worrying you this past week. I said I would stay at your side and so far I haven't done so well performing said task." His head dipped once in apology.

She quieted and smiled softly, taking his hand in hers and slightly surprising him, seeing him look down at their clasped hands before he squeezed. "Well as your future wife I suppose I should get used to worrying over you, what with you bein' an arrogant dog and all…" She mused, trying at a joke.

He huffed and looked away, his left brow twitching. "Don't start with that again, not when I basically showed my belly to you just now, princess." He growled.

She chuckled, squeezing his hand. "I'll be good just this once, only because I would imagine you're still sore from the news. Besides, don't get so huffy; it makes you look like a bigger noble than I ever pegged you to be." She sighed.

He glanced at her and smiled a little, nodding. "I won't get 'huffy' so long as you don't act like a brat." He quipped.

She blushed and huffed, pouting. "Piss off."

His gold eyes softened; _there's the princess I am to marry_, he thought.

Even though the loss of his father still weighed on him, he was at least grateful to have a concerned female to look out for his sanity's well-being… as well as his physical well-being.

* * *

The stink of poison hung in the air as the quartet neared an abandoned temple as the sun was starting to wane.

Getsu bristled and allowed a low growl to rumble in her throat, looking at the sight of the dilapidated building, the fine hairs on the back of her neck standing on end as she could almost physically feel the aura of the lesser demons surrounding the temple.

"This is strange, even for him, to be out in the open like this." Korihime grumbled as she reached for the quiver at her back, shrugging her bow from her shoulder down to her left hand's grip.

Sesshomaru looked at both of his female compatriots, his gold eyes lingering on the female _Okami-Daiyokai_ longest. "I can smell his poison, but to say that he's in there would be gambling our lives if we blindly charged into the temple." He reasoned quietly, gold eyes leaving her petite form and lifting to glare at the building that sheltered the horde of lesser demons.

"Sesshomaru has a point; if we were to act like idiots, everything would be shot to hell... We'll need a distraction." Korihime agreed thoughtfully, tapping her chin with the curved side of her bow.

Silver, blue, and gold eyes slowly rounded on the green imp that had shadowed the _Inu-Daiyokai_.

Jaken squawked in horror and surprise.

* * *

A/N: sorry to leave off on another cliffhanger.. ^^; whew first assault on Naraku! lol what will the outcome be? will this be just another wild goose chase? or will the trio have struck gold? until next chap!


	9. Lungs, pt3: Moments, Resistance, Extinct

A/N: sorry for the cliffhanger last chap, the conclusion to said cliffhanger is in this chap so enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 09: Lungs, Part Three: Moments, Resistance, Extinction**_

The half-demon looked up from his musings to see the white-haired, pale-skinned form of his first reincarnation walking up to him; his red eyes focused on the silver mirror she held close to her chest.

"Kanna, what is it?"

The girl-incarnation lifted the mirror to his line of sight, the glass of the mirror flashing briefly in an invisible light before the blankness inside of the glass shifted to the scene of the temple he had left a 'scent-marker' at, along with a horde of lesser demons.

His red eyes sharpened and widened slightly at seeing the forms of the two she-wolf sisters and the silver-haired _Inu-Daiyokai_ circling the perimeter of the temple from the thick brush; a small green imp was scurrying straight for the main doors of the temple.

"So they think they have found my whereabouts."

He cackled softly, the mirror's glass flashing again as it focused on the head of the female _Okami-Daiyokai_, at the tightness in her silver orbs that were trained on the temple before her. "It would be disrespectful of me to not greet the lovely Princess Getsuei for coming so far only to have her life ended before it could ever begin." He drawled, gesturing the girl move aside as he shuffled to his feet nimbly.

"I will not be long, Kanna." He promised calmly, disappearing in a small purple twister of his miasma.

:::::::xXx::::::::

"**Behold the Staff of Two Heads**!" A wide stream of fire screamed at the first wave of lesser demons; the second wave gave a collected cry and sailed at the boisterous 'diversion'.

Jaken squawked and yelped as he swung the staff and sent another jet of fire at the second wave, scrambling away as the third, fourth and fifth waves launched at him.

"Your imp isn't much help," Getsu deadpanned as Sesshomaru inwardly slapped his forehead in shame and exhaled audibly in agreement, making a mental note to beat the shit out of the imp as soon as this was over.

Korihime sighed and placed an arrow in her bow, aiming at the third wave that flew right at where they had been observing. "Well we were bound to be pulled into this in the beginning," she mused, watching the wave of lesser demons fly closer as she focused her demonic aura into the arrow and bow; the bow and arrow soon obtained a light pink glow before the arrow was fired, sailing at the demons and striking the front one that looked like an eel with large teeth.

The wave of lesser demons screeched in agony as the same pink glow consumed their clustered form and destroyed them easily.

She smirked proudly, looking over at her sister and winking. "I rest my case." She giggled.

She smiled patiently, ears twitching as the fourth and fifth waves screamed at the three _yokai_ in blind rage; she cracked her knuckles and sighed. "So eager to die," she muttered, sprinting past her sister. "**_Nagareboshi-Kaen_**_!_" She swung her left arm out in an arc; a wide arc of blue fire flew at the remainder of the horde, destroying them effortlessly as their remains faded into the air.

The stink of that half-demon stung his nose; his gold eyes sharpened as he distinctly caught sight of a figure moving on the front porch of the temple. He grabbed the shoulder of his fellow _daiyokai_, gripping her sleeve and earning a look; she followed his line of sight and growled lowly.

"Princess of the Western Wolf Clan, indeed; it's no wonder you are a formidable enough foe, Lady Getsuei." Naraku declared as he stood before the _yokai_ trio and imp, cloaked in the baboon pelt again.

_His scent… this isn't a puppet!_ Korihime thought in surprise, quickly drawing an arrow from her quiver and aiming at the half-demon that hid his face.

Getsu smirked darkly, feeling his claws dig into her shoulder bone as she cracked her knuckles again. "So you finally showed your face to me. Or rather, the skull-wearing face, to be frank." She returned coldly.

Sesshomaru glared stonily at the hooded figure. "Why have you led us here, Naraku?" He demanded.

"I have come to offer my condolences for your loss, Lord Sesshomaru: it's a shame your father passed on… All to sire your half-demon baby brother." He sneered, knowing he'd just hit a nerve with the _Inu-Daiyokai_.

He fell silent even though his tightened grip on her shoulder bone spoke otherwise; she almost thought his gold stare glinted red at the rims of his eyes.

"How dare you rub salt in the wound of my master!? You disrespectful wretch, you'll pay!" The imp shrieked shrilly before the staff sent a large blast of orange flames at the half-demon.

Naraku laughed as a hive's worth of hornets buzzed around him, acting as a barrier to block the flames from hitting directly. "What's this, I had no knowledge that you three orphans were taking in pets." He drawled lowly.

The grip on her shoulder lightened until she saw him disappear and reappear right infront of the half-demon. "Sesshomaru!" She barked alertly.

"_Poison Claw!_" He swung the claws of his left hand down sharply on the half-demon's head; the same hornets buzzed angrily and sailed at the _Inu-Daiyokai_, forcing him to draw back and land nimbly on one foot infront of his female compatriots.

A wave of blue fire screamed at the hornets, burning the majority of them that didn't make it back into the small hive he held in hand; his red eyes peered through the eye holes of the baboon skull to the angered silver stare of the _Okami-Daiyokai_.

"You still have much to learn, Princess Getsuei. Especially moreso if your fiancé is weak!" Two large insect-looking limbs sailed at the dog demon.

A whip of yellow light snagged the two limbs effortlessly, slightly surprising the half-demon and _Okami-Daiyokai_; his gold eyes penetrated past the eye holes of the baboon skull to his narrowed red eyes.

"Whatever gave you the indication that I am **weak**?" Sesshomaru thundered, flicking his wrist and ripping the limbs out, his poison destroying the limbs and making them disintegrate in less than seconds.

Korihime sent the arrow flying, a thick aura of pink making the projectile glow as it was sent at the half-demon that had his attention diverted by the _Inu-Daiyokai_.

_That little brat!_ Naraku thought before the arrow hit his shoulder; his hornets regrouped and sailed at the younger she-wolf in an angered formation.

"**Blackened Wolf Fang**!" A wide arc of purple energy screamed at the hornets, destroying them and stalling them from hitting her sister as Getsu stood defensively infront of her, katana drawn and gripped tightly in her right hand.

The half-demon sneered at the trio of _yokai_ before he disappeared in a twister of his purple-colored miasma, slightly surprising them.  
"Keep in mind that I will not forget this." Naraku's voice filled the air before the twister faded into the growing thunder clouds overhead.

Three sets of eyes watched the clouds lessen the darkness they held to become that dreary winter-foreboding pale gray before a collected sigh of relief came from the group.

Korihime slung her bow over her shoulder, watching her sister sheathe her katana. "Father was right in bestowing the Mangetsuga to you, onee-chan." She commented with a smile.

Getsu looked at her and smirked softly, nodding. "Apparently so." Her silver eyes traveled to the male _daiyokai_. "You sure put up a fight." She mused, nudging him.

Sesshomaru nodded back and smirked a little, briefly eyeing the katana at her left hip. "As did you. I had heard stories of your father's fang, the Mangetsuga; yet I didn't know he had bequeathed it to his firstborn daughter." He replied, returning the nudge out of a light playfulness they harbored in and out of their time spent in each other's closeness.

She blushed slightly and rubbed the back of her neck, "yeah, I know, you'd have figured he'd give it to his firstborn son! But Father always told me after each training session that I would inherit the Mangetsuga once I left the clan to form my own someday. Kori-chan was wise to bring it with us: gods know what Naraku would do with my father's fang in his slimy hands." She bristled a little before sighing. "Either way, it'd be wise for us to rest up for the night. Not that fighting hornets and demon hordes was taxing, but still… a little beauty sleep never hurt."

He nodded slightly in agreement, "hn."

* * *

Both sisters blinked once at the sight of the two-headed dragon that stood before them.

He deadpanned at their silence, "it's not as if they're going to eat you… I will commend you for bringing Ah-Un though, Jaken." He blinked this time.

Since when did he praise Jaken of all creatures…? What in hell was wrong with him?

He threw a glance at the sisters and inwardly groaned. Of course, he'd been traveling with females… They were making him grow soft.

A low grumble sounded from his inner beast, who sounded displeased by this factoid. The grumble turned into a sort of humming purr as his gold eyes watched the older of the two sisters lift a clawed hand to stroke the underside of Ah's jaw; the dragon chirped in recognition that she was a demon like its master and was also kind.

His ears twitched as he almost thought he could hear her own inner beast purring just like his was doing; she glanced over at him and blushed, steering her attention to the dragon as her sister came forward to pet the head of Un.

Sometimes he wished his beast wouldn't make things so damn obvious.

'_Can you really blame me? You and the princess are bonded; it is clear as day._' His inner beast growled in his ears, making a scowl form on his brow at the casual way his beast struck up a conversation regarding such fragile things.

_I am well aware of that, I don't need you to remind me_. He rebutted patiently.

'_So you say but your mind tells me otherwise_.' It remarked coolly, almost in a sing-song voice that instantly got on his nerves.

He bristled reflexively, inwardly scoffing. _Shut your mouth_, he mentally growled at it.

'_Come now, it's not as if bonding is a bad thing. Not in regards to bonding with a lovely she-wolf like her… And then there's the issue of your sleeping habits…_' His mental snarl quieted the beast's musings.

He cursed the change in weather for the briefest moment, gold eyes roaming to the she-wolf he and his inner beast were debating over; his eyes softened when she laughed as Ah bumped his snout with her cheek playfully.

'_You want her more than as a companion, as much as I so wish to mate her own beast._' His inner beast stated in that purring tone again, a sound he realized meant that the beast was being lustful.

_You will not interfere, not yet. I will handle mating issues with her on my own terms, not on yours_. He snapped with another inward snarl.

It chuckled darkly but obeyed nonetheless. '_Whether you agree or not, we will have her as a mate, and given that _Okami-Daiyokai_ are very rare, you will not want to let her go so easily. Not with that vermin out to consume her powers, body and soul, to do to her what he could not do to her deceased father he took his vengeance out on… Getsuei is bonded and we will protect what is bonded to us. And once mated she will not leave you or I… Her own beast won't allow her to separate from the one who has claimed her._'

It quieted down, finally retreating to the deeper recesses of his conscious.

Sesshomaru stared ahead at the darkness of the trees around them, mulling over what his inner beast had stated, and inwardly bristling like mad at the mere thought of Naraku ever getting his disgusting hands on the she-wolf he was betrothed to. Getsu was his, even though she would stubbornly refuse to believe that she was his property (and she'd probably smack him for calling her as such), and he would slay that vulgar half-breed before he ever got his hands on the female he had bonded with.

"You're going to burn a hole in the trees, you realize." Getsu pointed out, jarring him from his thoughts, as she sat down against a tree and was busy polishing her heirloom fang with a cleaning cloth.

He shook his head softly, throwing her a look before he shuffled to sit with her.

"Kori went to go look for something to feed Ah-Un and Jaken went with her at the insistence that she would need something to beat the fish with if she came across a stream." She informed absently, chuckling at the mental image.

"Hn," he nodded, his mind flashing back to the conversation-and-or-debate he and his inner beast had what felt like hours ago; that's how much he was mulling over what had been said.

She lifted her gaze up from the silver of the fang's blade, looking at his gold eyes to see he was staring into space, deep in thought once again. "Is something wrong? You're being quieter than usual." She wondered quietly.

He mentally cursed her keen senses, seeing her tilt her head to one side, concern beginning to swim in those silver moons of hers. "No, I'm fine." He said dismissively, vainly hoping she would drop the subject and start on another one, a more tedious one to be honest.

But at this point in time he knew Getsu wouldn't be that naive.

"You suck at lying to me." She pointed out, her pout faltering and allowing a concerned line to replace it on her lips. "Look, if it's about your father…" She began, lifting a hand to grasp his hand.

He caught her wrist quickly, slightly surprising her, his gold eyes meeting her worried silver stare. "It's not that." His intense stare softened reflexively as he held her gaze in his, "just drop it. It's not something that concerns you."

That was the worst lie he'd ever told, '_utterly piss-poor_' as she had said once.

Getsu scowled reflexively, shirking her hand free to put her katana back in the black scabbard before setting it aside, exhaling and running a hand through her slightly tousled hair, scritching the back of her head. "It sounds like it **_does_** concern me, moreso if it's in regards to your sanity." She wouldn't let the subject drop.

Sesshomaru returned the scowl, their eyes locking in a silent squabble for dominance; his beast rumbled at the challenge the feisty she-wolf presented, their earlier conversation returning to the front of his mind. '_Whether you agree or not, we will have her as a mate…_'

Damn it all.

"Drop it." He growled, his words moreso an order than a suggestion.

She would have none of it, leering to peer into his angered gold stare. "Make me."

Now she'd done it.

With a soft growl of frustration at his inner beast and restrained lust he felt for the female _daiyokai_, he had her back-first on the cold grassy earth in less than a second, his arms caging and pinning her to the grassy surface as his claws carved crescents into the dirt on either side of her head.

She blushed brightly and stared up at her captor, ears perking alertly as she saw that his eyes were starting to glint red; her own inner beast growled in her ears as it could sense his was very close to surfacing and taking over his body, the musk of a turned on canine assailing her keen nose.

'**_Mate_**.' Her inner beast and his own thundered.

Getsu trembled, looking into his gold eyes. "Sesshomaru," she breathed softly, blushing another shade of reddish pink as he lowered his head to descend on hers.

Sesshomaru rested his forehead against hers, slightly baffling the she-wolf, as he had gained control over his beast once again, keeping it at bay with inward thundering snarls.

She slipped one hand free of his caged grip he had her in and lifted it to gingerly cup his cheek, running her clawed thumb over the maroon streaks on his cheekbone. "You heard what it said." She didn't question him.

He nodded, shuffling to sit on his knees and release her of the cage-like hold, holding her hand to his cheek. "It's not going to have its way tonight." He stated softly.

She sat up a little, her eyes soft at seeing his larger hand cover her smaller one, silver meeting gold. "It'll try again, I know it will; mine is the same." She reminded in the same tone, looking sheepish.

Sesshomaru released her hand to let the hand that had held hers run through her hair, gently pushing locks of her ebony bangs from her slightly-round cheek. "When it does, I doubt I'll be very much in control of things." He mused.

Getsu shrugged, letting him cup her cheek gently. "It's only instinct, right? To… mate," her cheeks warmed at the prospect.

He nodded again, ears twitching at seeing her cheeks burn at the simple prospect of mating. "I doubt you'll be blushing much once the deed is done." He offered quietly, a slight smirk on his lips as he found her shyness towards physical contact to be cute.

She blushed harder and punched his shoulder. "Piss off, at least I don't have centuries-worth of pent-up testosterone like you do, dog breath." She growled.

His beast purred at hearing her growl and surveying how feisty she was behaving, quieting when he sent another inward growl at it. "Now you're not being fair." He quipped, his brow twitching as he dropped his hand.

Getsu smiled cheekily, leaning in to kiss his cheek lightly, seeing his face blank before a slight pink hue dashed across his pale cheeks and his gold eyes blink in confusion at what just happened. "Don't get so huffy, milord." She teased, folding her arms complacently over her chest and sitting back.

Sesshomaru made a face similar to a pout, grumbling at her as his beast growled at her insolence, mirroring her and folding his arms. "Don't be so impossible." He grated.

She giggled, flashing a wide innocent grin. "Haven't the foggiest about what you're talkin' about, love." She said with a shrug.

He growled under his breath at her playfulness, snorting. "**_Of_****_course_** you don't, you **_never_** are at fault for testing my nerves." He remarked with heavy sarcasm.

Getsu winked and smirked teasingly, reminding him of a fox demon for the briefest moment. "You're learning! Good boy," she patted his head as if he were a puppy.

A vein twitched on his brow and he growled again, eyes shut at her belittling gesture. "Piss off, princess." Sesshomaru ground out.

"Hm, nope, not in this lifetime." She sighed and tapped her chin thoughtfully.

He shot her a stony look, seeing her seem to blissfully ignore it, further fueling his current annoyance with her antics. "You're so impossible." He groaned.

She shrugged again and poked his forehead, flopping back into the grass. "Love it, get used to it." She remarked.

He huffed.

* * *

A/N: more fluff lol i actually like writing fluff for this couple, it's cute xD _/gets bricked_

anyway~ so now both Sessh and Getsu's inner demons are basically biting at the bit to take control of their bodies and let their feelings be shown in the form of mating. having bonded (which is relative to falling for each other, so i've read) it's now become a mental battlefield for dominance in both daiyokai's heads. will they win... or will their emotions outdo them? until next chap! ^^


	10. Bang! Rusted Diamonds

A/N: where we last left off, the impending fate of the relationship betw Getsu and Sesshy is starting to get to them, considering their inner demons are constantly berating them to drop their morals and mate... will they succumb to their inner demons' wishes? enjoy~

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 10: Bang! Rusted Diamonds_**

Her inner beast was starting to get annoying again.

She recalled the almost-incident between her and the current object of her beast's obsession and blushed, shivering a little.  
'_Ya know you want him_,' said source of her slight migraine reminded in a sing-song purring tone.

A vein twitched on her brow and she inwardly growled at it, quieting its suggestive words. _Since when are __**you**__ so damn loquacious?_ She snapped.

It seemed to shrug. '_Since now that you were so very close to bearing his pups_,' it replied jovially, as if the topic of being taken by said would've-been-sire was simple and tedious.

Her cheeks burned again. _Piss off, I said it before and I'll say it again: I'll handle this and you keep your damn nose out of it. Got it?_ She rebutted sharply.

It sighed patiently and seemed to grumble. '_Whatever you say; but keep in mind that if he gets too close, I __**will**__ come out and then you won't be complaining so much about whether I am in control or not when it comes to Lord Sesshomaru and being his mate._' It stated confidently, adding further fuel to her slight migraine.

She shuddered and mentally snarled at her beast in annoyance, hearing it snicker before it went quiet and said no more on the matter that was weighing on both her conscience and raging hormones.

"I told you it's love," her sister mused lightly in a quiet enough voice so that their leader wouldn't hear (he had been leading them through the land of the southwest for a few weeks now, with both sisters usually walking downwind and the imp trailing behind his master in the lead).

She stiffened and shot her a glare from the corner of her eye. "What's that mean?" She hissed.

She sent him a brief look to make sure he wasn't dropping eaves and met her glare with a patient look.  
"You're my big sister; I can tell you're having… "issues" with your demon form. You only scowl and curl your lip in anger whenever it annoys or pisses you off, usually meaning that you two are debating over something…" _My guess would be that it'd be the silver-haired ice king_, she inwardly added.

Getsu's cheeks burned slightly and she snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Mama was right; you shoulda gone into the business of being a friggin' _kunoichi_." She growled.

Korihime smiled innocently, "Don't knock it, onee-chan. Besides, whatever you two were debating –or in this case, arguing— over, I'm sure you'll both come to a moot point in the near future." She saw her sister wince and growl a little.

Her cheeks flared a reddish pink color before she glared at the back of his head. "Whatever… smart-ass brat sister…" She grumbled in reluctant defeat.

She followed her line of sight and it clicked; _ah so _that's_ what they were arguing over!_ She inwardly giggled, deciding not to voice her amusement otherwise her sister would beat her into a coma, smirking. _Apparently my hunch was correct. Well, as Mother put it, onee-chan, as the firstborn you have the right to claim your mate… And if you've both bonded then a night of mating is definitely in order sometime soon. I doubt he can handle keeping his hands off you for much longer, Getsu-onee_, she thought.

The two-headed dragon chirped as Un's head nudged her shoulder, making her look up as she'd almost forgotten that she had been holding their reins in her hand.

She smiled gently, scritching Un's chin in response, hearing the dragon make a pleased noise before bumping his snout into her palm; she giggled softly.

* * *

She splashed water in her face, shivering and shaking her head fervently to try and wipe off the coldness of the pond water.

Their quartet had taken a brief break from tracking Naraku, and after the first snowfall the night before, Korihime realized washing her face with cold pond water was a bad idea.

Ah well, at least she learned not to do it again.

Her thoughts traveled to her sister and soon-to-be-brother-in-law, smiling a little.

At observing that both of their inner demons were trying to force them into mating, she had been giving them more alone time than usual, trying to occupy herself with tending to Ah-Un or going to look for food to eat and dragging the annoying imp Jaken with her. Of course she received dirty looks from the couple, mostly from her sister, but she often ignored the glares and simply kept her position as a member of their small pack, saying nothing unless she either felt like it or was asked to give a response.

The familiar-yet-unfamiliar scent of wolf jarred her from her thoughts; her blue eyes widened alertly as she straightened quickly, sniffing the air as she realized the scent was coming from the other side of the pond… right for her.

A soft growl began in her throat as she stood there and waited to see who the owner of the scent was.

Were they with Naraku? And furthermore, what business did stray wolves have in the northwest?

The scent was getting closer.

She lifted an arrow from the quiver at her back, raising the long bow and placing the arrow in her bow, lifting and aiming at the oncoming stranger.

A grunt sounded before a blur of brown leaped from behind the thick brush on the other side of the pond, the figure disappearing and reappearing infront of her.

Her blue eyes widened slightly.

::::::::xXx:::::::::

The male wolf demon blinked his blue eyes at the sight of an arrow head being pointed right at his nose; he stared past the sharp point at the would-be-attacker, staring at a pair of soft blue eyes.

A female wolf demon stared into his sky colored blue eyes, her brow furrowed in the concentration needed to fire the arrow that had come very close to stabbing into his nose; her hair looked blue but if he noted the exact color, he'd have to say it was more cobalt than straight-up blue; her skin was pale, giving off the impression that she didn't get out a lot.

"Who are you and why did you just try to ambush me?" She wondered, her tone stony, her grip on the feathered-tip of the arrow never lightening the tightness she held it with.

He took a step back mostly out of caution, stealing a quick glance at her pale blue kimono with fur lining the shoulders, silver obi wrapped around her waist, and dark blue leggings that came to her shins where gray boots covered her feet from the elements. "Sorry for scarin' ya like that." He declared, seeing her grip lessen a little as she sensed that he meant no harm.

"You're my kind so I won't shoot." Her soft blue eyes hardened a little. "But I still want to know just who in hell you are." This wolf demon reeked of arrogance, a trait in men she found made her bristle, but there was something else too: it smelled of having a pack-oriented mentality.

He smirked slightly and rubbed his neck, "sorry about that. My name's Koga, I'm the…" He began to introduce himself.

"The head of the Eastern Wolf Tribe." A calm growl sounded behind the she-wolf, making him tense slightly on reflex, before he bristled at scenting a male canine _yokai_ was with the owner of the voice that had cut him off.

Korihime relaxed her stance, lowering the bow and arrow as she smiled and closed her eyes serenely. "I was wondering when you would come, onee-chan."

* * *

A/N: you guys knew this was coming. lol me doth sense a little jealousy on the part of a certain _Inu-Daiyokai_... _/gets bricked_


	11. Truth, Myths, Dreams

A/N: where we last left off, we ran into everyone's favorite wolf demon, Koga! well this didn't sit well with a certain_ Inu-Daiyokai_ on account of his instinctive possessiveness of another certain _Okami-Daiyokai_ that had bonded with him. who will win her heart, Koga or Sesshomaru? enjoy~

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 11: Truth, Myths, Dreams_**

Sesshomaru was **not** pleased.

Even though the wolf demon named Koga was a technical cousin of both Getsu and Korihime, he didn't trust him. _Inu-yokai_ were usually possessive of their territory, and it was especially so with females they had either bonded with or claimed as their mates.

And the current _Inu-Daiyokai_ was no exception to this trait.

Getsu was at ease for once, walking at his side like always, her silver eyes trained on the sight of her younger sister walking beside the young _Okami-yokai_ leader.

His beast thundered angrily about being so close to another male demon, especially one like Koga. He reeked of over-confidence, ruthlessness and arrogance that, if he ever cared to admit, would possibly rival his own.

For once, he and his inner demon were in tune with their emotions.

The fact that Getsu had not yet been made his mate coupled with being near an also-unmated male wolf demon made him on edge and bristling, and possibly seething.

They had bonded, even though he knew his princess never would openly admit such a thing. She was in his pack, his bonding partner, his future mate.

**_She was _****his****_, damn it_**.

"Getsu-onee, can we stay around? Koga's offered his home to us for as long as we like! Can we, please?" Korihime's question jerked him from his possessive thoughts.

Getsu looked from her sister's imploring stare to the calm blue stare of her fellow clan head. "She didn't force that outta you, did she?" She wondered, making a mental note to brain her sister for being so pushy if she _had_ forced it on him.

Koga chuckled and smirked at her. "Nah, she didn't. I did tell her though that you guys were welcome to rest up with our pack for as long as y'like. It's not like you guys were on a high-priority quest or anything, right?" He replied.

Sesshomaru could distinctly hear his beast thundering death threats at the confident wolf. "Well actually…" He began to say stiffly.

"Aww c'mon, Sesshomaru, please? It's just for a few days!" Korihime piped up, clapping her hands together and giving him a puppy-dog stare that made the male wolf demon snort and do his best to not laugh.

His gold eyes turned to his companion. "You're an _Okami-Daiyokai_ now; the choice is yours." He reminded, hearing his beast snarl angrily in his ears at allowing her to decide (his beast just wanted to up and leave as soon as possible).

She held his stare and could've sworn she saw his eyes tint red before she looked at Koga and nodded. "Just for a week. We have somewhere to be, but a little relaxation never hurt." She agreed (at the reluctance of Sesshomaru).

"_**Onee**-**chan**!_" Her sister ran forward to hug her tightly, making her yelp and then chuckle as she hugged back and let her go.

Koga nodded, smiling slightly. "That's fair enough. C'mon, the cave isn't far from here." He declared, turning to lead the way; a happy Korihime trotted after him, dragging Ah-Un that carried a flailing Jaken by the reins.

Getsu heard him inhale sharply and she looked up at him. "Are you sure you're all right with this?"

"I let you choose because I didn't want to be a complete jerk and drag you away like a child." Sesshomaru answered, his tone still stiff.

She raised a brow before she smiled softly, nodding and looking away. "Thank you for respecting my decision."

He nodded slightly, gold eyes lifting to stare at the back of the second male's head, bristling. "Hn."

_If Koga tried anything, he would kill him for it._

:::::::xXx:::::::

The dragon chirped lightly.

She paused short of coming closer to check on the two-headed steed to see he was removing the muzzle-like halters they had on their snouts, to give them a break she assumed.

He threw a glance up at the bleak gray sky overhead as snow threatened to fall again. "You should be inside; it's warmer in there." He advised, his voice breaching the quiet closed-off thicket making her ears twitch.

She blinked before she quieted, her arms she'd folded at her chest hugging her elbows absently. "Demons don't get cold, not as easily as humans. Besides, shouldn't you be the one inside? Just because you have that stole doesn't make you a walking hearth." She defended calmly, tilting her head to one side.

He smirked a little, lightly scritching the upper muzzle of Ah's head with a clawed index finger. "It's too crowded in there." He looked over his shoulder at her. "Which reminds me, why aren't you in there? They're your own breed of demon, not mine." He returned, curiosity flashing in his gold stare (even though he and his inner beast were silently grateful that she had peeled herself away from that arrogant Koga to visit him).

She shrugged, moving closer, her bare feet crunching softly on the three-inch layer of snowfall on the ground. "I didn't see you in there so I came to check on you; I guess Ah-Un is better company to you than the wolves." She mused with a sheepish look.

He quieted and placed the halters on the back of the dragon, turning to face her fully. "It beats smelling the stink of that dog's pack of strays." He replied with a wrinkle of his nose at the mention of the aforementioned clan leader's pack of wolves.

She chuckled and smiled with the same sheepish expression. "I know, the smell can be a bit overwhelming at first." She shrugged innocently. "Korihime likes it, living with the wolves. I'm only doing this for her; it feels like a long time since I've seen her look happy." Her eyes turned wistful as she seemed to recall some memory that was beyond his reach.

"Hn," he nodded, blinking as he noticed she had flurries in her hair; his face softened and he rolled his eyes, stepping closer. "You have snow in your hair," he mused, seeing her blink innocently.

She blushed, watching as he lifted a hand to brush the flurries of white out of her ebony hair she'd let down lately, staying still for him.

Their eyes locked, reminiscent of the first moment they met what felt like years ago; gold clashed with silver.

Sesshomaru finished brushing the flurries from her hair, letting his hand travel to cup her left cheek, his claws dragging softly against the crescent on her cheekbone.

Getsu shivered softly, the blush returning to her cheeks as he tilted her chin up gently; her eyes widened slightly as his eyes closed half-way and he inclined his head, her hands lifting to be placed against his chest, one hand holding onto a spiked point on his chest armor and the other bunching its fingers in the left shoulder of his _kosode_.

He kissed her softly, feeling her tremble and her hand in his _kosode_ tighten, his inner beast growling in need to be with her own beast; she closed her eyes and kissed back, hearing her inner beast purr softly in satisfaction at her finally making a move.

Sesshomaru's free arm traveled to her waist, gently pulling her closer, deepening the kiss, as he felt her hand on his armor lift to curl in his silver hair.

Getsu shivered again and not because of the fresh snow falling down on them, leaning onto his chest when he squeezed her hips with his right arm.

The fact that they were so close to being within scent range of that damn wolf made his inner beast growl angrily at the possible intrusion: he really would have to murder him if he dared get anywhere near her right now.

She gently pushed on his chest to break the kiss, hearing a growl rumble deep in his chest at the untimely break, her breath coming in a soft fog as she panted a little.

He nosed her cheek, making her blink and then blush as his mouth kissed a trail to her throat; the familiar scent of a turned-on male assailed her nose once again as his fangs punctured the skin of the crook of her neck and his arm on her hips tightened possessively.

"S-Sesshomaru," she groaned, practically hearing her own beast and his humming loudly in pleasure.

He released her neck gently, nuzzling the spot where he'd marked her as his; her silver eyes looked up at his gold and she noted that his eyes had taken on that red glint again.

She blushed and slipped free of his arm, taking him by the hand and leading him away to a more private place as her inner beast guided her footsteps; his own inner beast was all too happy to oblige.

* * *

Several of the wolves that had huddled around the cave entrance growled a warning.

Koga looked up from admiring the long bow of the she-wolf at the noise his wolves were making. "Wonder what's gotten into them." He wondered.

Korihime began to answer before both wolf demons blinked at the scent of a mated female.

The wolves that had growled a warning then whimpered in reluctant yielding towards a being that was stronger than them and more intimidating, skulking away to regroup by their leader.

Getsu and Sesshomaru walked inside the cave… with Sesshomaru's arm wrapped around the former's hips possessively.

"H-hey, Koga, what's that scent? Getsu-chan is reeking of it…" One of his packmates, Ginta, piped up as he nudged his clan leader.

Sesshomaru sent him a stony look, ignoring the elbow jabbed into his side by the female he had his arm around, his gold eyes roaming to meet Koga's sky blue stare; smugness shown in his gold stare, briefly making him out to be more arrogant than Koga was.

Korihime grinned like an idiot at the confirmation scent: well, now she had a brother-in-law.

Getsu shot her a look, her eyes promising a quick beating if she so much as opened her mouth.

Koga huffed, "well now, I guess I don't hafta keep wonderin' if you two were ever gonna be an item. It's about friggin' time; from what Kori was tellin' me, you two have been beating around the bush for too damn long." He declared.

**_THWACK_**.

"Is _that_ what you told him?" She cracked her knuckles, eyes closed calmly to the large bump on her sister's head.

She rubbed the bump gingerly, looking up at her sister and smiling cheekily. "Well it was bound to happen, wasn't it?" She remarked.

A vein twitched on her brow before she exhaled and looked at her fellow clan leader, "there's another snowfall coming, but we need to get moving before we lose scent of what we've been tracking." She smiled a little and bowed slightly. "Thanks for taking us in even though we didn't stay much longer than a week."

He briefly glanced at the stony expression on the male _daiyokai_'s face before he nodded and smiled back at her. "Don't mention it; with luck we'll meet again one of these days." He replied with a shrug.

Korihime sweatdropped as both Ginta and Hakkaku hugged her tightly with crocodile tears in their eyes, laughing and gently pushing them away.

"Quit blubbering you two, geez yer supposed to be men!" Koga barked embarrassedly, shuffling to his feet to say his goodbye to the younger sister. "Kori, ya sure you don't wanna stick around? These two don't seem to want you to leave, considering how much they're cryin' like cubs…" He sweatdropped.

She looked between the trio of wolves to her sister for an answer.

Getsu shrugged. "It's on you, Kori-chan; I'm not Mama, so I can't tell you what to do. You're grown." She declared sheepishly.

_Oh well that helps_, she deadpanned, exhaling and shrugging away from the two wolves to bow lightly before the male clan leader. "I can't; Getsu-onee and me, we have something we need to finish. Besides, she and Sesshomaru are my pack; I can't just leave them." She declined, smiling apologetically.

Koga sent a look at the aforementioned _Okami-Daiyokai_ before he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well if you're that serious… Y'know where to find me if you decide otherwise." He winked.

Korihime giggled and smiled, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "I do; see you around, wolf boy." She giggled again at seeing the blush that stained his cheeks pink at having her kiss his cheek, smiling at Ginta and Hakkaku before she trotted ahead of her packmates to go see Ah-Un, a slightly annoyed Jaken following to tend to the dragon steed.

Sesshomaru nodded to Koga, looking down at his mate. "Let's go." He beckoned, following his sister-in-law.

Getsu smiled sheepishly at the male wolf demons before she trotted after him to sidle up to his left side out of loyalty.

:::::::xXx:::::::

(**_A few centuries later…_**)

"So the Shikon Jewel is shattered?"

"Yeah, apparently some priestess girl shattered it on accident with an arrow."

"I see." A wicked smirk formed on his pale face. "This will be an interesting challenge to find all the shards."

The woman huffed quietly and rubbed her neck. "So it seems, Naraku."

* * *

A/N: **YES THEY MATED. FINALLY.** _/gets bricked_

ahah but anyway, i did a timeskip so now the fic is on the same timeline as the canon plot. i might keep the episodes on an abridged version instead of like in 'We Are'. the Final Act will be covered too, btw, in the future. but i doubt i'm going to put in any of the movies (_Swords of an Honorable Ruler_, _Fire on the Mystic Island_). those will most likely be in a separate fic if i ever get the willpower to make one for the movies. xDD until next chap, enjoy~

_Korihime_: **please review**! thanks~


	12. Bones, Blood, Poison

A/N: where we last left off, there was a time skip of at least two centuries to get to the canon plot's original timeline. i commend anyone who could guess who was talking in the last paragraph's dialogue. ^^ other than that, enjoy the chap!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 12: Bones, Blood, Poison**_

Both sisters tilted their heads to one side.

"Are you sure this is the place?" The older of the two sisters asked quietly, arms folded casually in the sleeves of her kimono top; her silver eyes shot a look from the corner of her eye at the stoic silver-haired _Inu-Daiyokai_. "Sesshomaru?"

The two-headed staff hovered closer to the small sealed formation of rocks, coming to a halt short of several yards.

"Milord, here it is; the tomb we've been searching for!" The imp squawked as he scurried after the staff's lead.

He followed wordlessly, both sisters trailing after him leading the two-headed dragon. "You're sure?" He wondered.

"Aye indeed, milord! The staff has never let us down; allow me!" he replied, grabbing the staff and hurrying closer to the sealed rocks.  
Low growling sounded from the formation's shadows, making the imp yelp and scurry away.

A pack of seven or so wolves drew closer to the trio of _yokai_, snarling and bristling angrily.

He began to use his whip of light before she placed a hand on his shoulder, stepping forward; he lowered his arm, watching curiously.

The wolves snarled at the brazen _Okami-Daiyokai_: she bared her teeth, bristling and exerting a thin-yet-sharp leak of her demonic aura to frighten the pack; they quieted quickly, whimpering and bowing their heads in reverence that she was alpha.

She gestured with her chin they leave; the pack whined and growled as they took off into the darkness.

"Impressive." He mused as she retreated to his side, throwing her a smirk.

She shrugged innocently, folding her arms behind her head. "Y'just have to show them who's head bitch." She replied, winking at her little sister's proud gaze.

"Position the staff, Jaken." He ordered.

Jaken obeyed eagerly, scurrying ontop of the large rock that kept the formation together and kicking some old wooden thing off the top, dusting it with his foot before he placed the bottom tip of the staff onto the rock: a creaking of wood sounded before the woman-face-side of the staff's top opened its eyelids to reveal black orbs, the mouth opening wide to allow a shriek to breach the night.

"Beauty… so I guess it's another dead-end." Korihime mused aloud, ears twitching as her brother-in-law turned to walk away from the sealed formation; Getsu followed dutifully until she sidled to his left, her sister following and leaving the imp to squawk a complaint and scramble after the trio.

"Remind me why you're suddenly so hell-bent on finding this… what is it again?" She wondered.

"Tetsusaiga; the fang that my father had forged long ago." He informed.

"Wait, Tetsusaiga?" Her sister piped up, earning a gold stare from the male. "I remember Father telling me a story about that sword; supposedly it was said to fell one hundred demons in one swing! And your father was one hell of a demon general when wielding that fang." She recounted in something like awe.

He nodded, seeming wistful at the compliment given to his late father. "And given that I am the firstborn, it's my birthright to wield the Tetsusaiga." He replied.

_So that's what all this is for, an heirloom?_ She wondered, looking up at the stars overhead.

:::::::::xXx::::::::

"You need a boat, and we're to give it to you are we!?" The general guffawed.

A sharp kick was dealt to his forehead, sending him sprawling back on the ground, surprising his soldiers as dust flew in his wake.

The general blanched as he stared up at the tip of a katana's blade, going cross-eyed as sweat broke out on his brow.

"Now, where are your manners? All my companion requests is a simple boat, a dingy if you have one. That's not asking much now is it?" She purred, silver eyes dangerous as she stared into the frightened man's brown eyes.

He inwardly slapped his forehead; _so much for negotiating my way_, he thought.

_Honestly, onee-chan,_ she inwardly sighed.

"T-that wench isn't even human! Get her!" A soldier cried, rushing forward and leading his men to surround the trio.

"M-milord, I regret to inform you that there are no boats to be found… But then again, there's always those boats over there…" The imp sweatdropped as he noticed the small fleet of boats tied to the river bank and dock next to them.

"Jaken, I leave them to you. Let's go." He instructed, grabbing her by the scruff and dragging her away, his sister-in-law trailing after the couple.

"Aww, you're no fun! C'mon, we haven't had a run-in in months; can't I just have a little bit of fun…?" She complained once they were far enough away from the now-incinerated soldiers, pouting up at him.

"Not when there are more pressing matters at hand. Besides, you're acting like a brat again." He quipped patiently, deadpanning.

Her sister snickered quietly behind the two, ignoring the death glare shot in her direction from the pissy she-wolf.

"Geez, ever since you got that Tensaiga you've been so grouchy." She grated, scowling at him and folding her arms.

His gold eyes glittered in amusement as her current expression made her look cute. "I have no idea what you're talking about." He replied simply.

She huffed.

* * *

_'I shoulda known it was you, Sesshomaru!_' The sight of the silver-haired _hanyou_ flashed in her mind again.

_So _that_ was InuYasha_, she thought, remembering his gold eyes that greatly resembled Sesshomaru's. _Well, now we know what he looks like_.

Her sister was pissy that he had forced her to sit the 'family reunion' out, much to her displeasure.

She sighed and looked up at the clear blue sky above the green treetops. _It's a shame he's a half-breed, he's kind of cute_, she mused.

Ah-Un grumbled beneath her as she lay on its back, making her ears twitch.

"Yeah, I know, it's kind of boring around here, isn't it?" She mused, lifting a hand to scritch the neck of Un's head gently; the dragon chirped in happiness at gaining her attention.

"This stupid fang search has been making his brain clouded. I swear he can be so damn persistent." Her sister grumbled as she was busy scrubbing a smudge off the front of her katana's blade.

She tilted her head to one side at her words, blue eyes traveling up to the sky. "You're tellin' me; hey, so what did you think of his half-brother?" She wondered.

Her ears twitched and she shrugged, "Dunno, not much to tell; all I know is that Sesshomaru hates him because he was basically the cause of his father's death, but even I don't get what all the fuss was over a half-demon."

"So you hate him too." It wasn't a question.

She tilted the blade a little to see her reflection in the front side. "I don't know much about him to hate him. Besides, he's his little brother whether Sesshomaru likes it or not; you can't hate your own kin, especially not to the point where you want to see said kin deader that dust." She explained, returning the heirloom fang to its place in the black scabbard she held.

"If we were in that situation, I wonder if we'd be the same." Korihime thought aloud.

Getsu rolled her eyes and nimbly hopped to her feet, rubbing Ah's snout with two fingers gently. "Doubt it; even when we would bicker when we were cubs, we would get over it within an hour or less. Besides, Mama always reminded us that as sisters we need to stick together in order to survive in peace." She said, her voice softening at the memories.

She looked at her and smiled a little, nodding before she sighed and looked up at the sky again, folding her arms behind her head. "Guess you're right. You kind of talk like her sometimes; some things you say remind me of her." She mused softly.

She blinked and then huffed, smiling humbly. "Guess so, huh? You're the one who looks like her moreso than Father; I'm the one that acts like him." She chuckled.

Her inner beast whined, making her ears twitch. '_Something is wrong with him_,' it growled, sounding unnerved and angered.

A ball of light jolted down from the sky overhead and landed several yards away from the sisters and dragon; the ball faded and was replaced with the sight of Sesshomaru clutching his left arm.

Blood hung in the air, surprising both girls.

"Sesshomaru!" Korihime hopped off the dragon's back as Getsu rushed to his side when he leaned against a tall oak, sinking to sit on the large roots.

"What happened to you?" Getsu demanded worriedly, hesitant to approach him, hands lifted midway.

Sesshomaru growled in pain, "It's a long story… damn that half-breed."

"Did InuYasha do this?" Korihime asked quietly.

He nodded, seeing a look of worry cross his mate's face. "Don't make that face, Getsu," he ordered quietly.

She scowled and dropped her hands to ball into fists. "Well how else do you intend for me to act when my mate is injured?" She demanded.

He scowled back, lowering his gaze. "Just let me rest for a minute. Then you can chew me out afterward." He requested.

She exhaled and nodded reluctantly. "Fine."

* * *

A/N: for those of you wondering if i was going to let Getsu and Korihime see the showdown betw Sesshomaru and InuYasha, i apologize for not covering that. there didn't seem to be much room for the girls when they were in their father's grave so i had them stay back to wait for Sesshomaru with Ah-Un. /bows apologetically

elsewise, not much else to put for now. see ya~


	13. Silver Streets

A/N: where we last left off, Sesshomaru and InuYasha had a 'family reunion', leaving both of the girls out of it as they had the reunion at their father's grave in the borderland. and that's where this chap lets off. enjoy~

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 13: Silver Streets_**

He felt a pair of eyes on him.

Rousing, he opened an eye to see a pair of silver eyes were looking at him from the right side; he closed his eyes briefly and then opened them to see she was sitting at his side, having finally peeled her gaze away to the warm embers of the small fire.

Her sister had fallen asleep lying on the back of Ah-Un, a snoring Jaken huddled by the right back-paw of the steed; she had stayed awake to look after him. Even though most demons didn't need sleep, _Inu_ and _Okami_ were different, mostly on account of being canine demons.

Sleep was habitual, but it could be avoided if the demon so wished it.

"Welcome back from the dead." She greeted softly.

He sat up a little, his ears twitching as he noticed that his left arm didn't hurt as much as it had when he arrived from the Borderland, the gravesite of his father's enormous bones. "You healed my arm."

She broke a twig in half, tossing the pieces to the orange flames. "I didn't try to restore your limb because you fell asleep." She shrugged as he sat up more and flexed the muscles in his right arm.

"I wasn't aware your healing power was capable of that." He mused.

She nodded and lowered her gaze from the fire to the claws of her right hand. "Gaining the gift I inherited from my mother plus being the firstborn in my family sort of ups my ability to the point where I can restore a limb, but not without it becoming taxing on my demonic power. Of course I can't bring anyone back from the dead, not like your father's fang." She explained, adding the last sentence with a slight smile.

"Thank you for doing what you did." He nodded slightly.

She shrugged, lifting her gaze to meet his gold stare. "Mates do what they can for each other, right?" Her soft smile faltered and was replaced with a worried line on her lips. "But aside from that, are you going to be okay with just one arm? Jaken told us about what happened, about the Tetsusaiga… And your arm." She dropped her voice to a softer tone, one he recognized held sympathy.

Being raised to be proud of being a purebred _Inu-Daiyokai_, he hated sympathy and pity, but with this _Okami-Daiyokai_ that was also purebred like him, he didn't despise her for her sympathy. "I'll manage. I am not the son of the great Inu no Taisho for no apparent reason, now am I?" He bristled indignantly out of habit.

She nodded, ignoring the bristling that seemed to make his silver hair stand on end just a little. "I'm glad to hear that." She smiled a little and looked at him again, leaning in to nuzzle his cheek. "So long as you're still standing, I'm glad for that."

He smiled slightly at her relief, lifting his good arm to stroke her cheek and lightly drag the claw of his thumb over the crescent birthmark on her cheekbone. "Good." He leaned in to kiss her softly, making her shiver slightly before he felt her deepen the kiss and press her forehead to his own.

* * *

Her nose wrinkled.

"I'm starting to really detest the stink of human blood," she grumbled, covering her nose with her hand as she lounged on the back of the dragon.  
He glanced over at the quieter of the two females, meeting her silver eyes and noting that her arms were folded over her chest; not exactly a good sign.

"If you have something to say, say it." He mused.

She moved forward to lift the clawed arm he'd stolen from a dead demon by the large index finger, her own nose wrinkled in distaste. "This arm reeks of death. You should've just let me burn the damn bugger you stole it from." She stated calmly, a fang showing in the disgusted expression on her pretty face.

He let her drop the arm by the finger, seeing her arms fold in the sleeves of her kimono top. "Then I would have needed to find another substitute." He defended in the same manner.

She rolled her eyes, sighing and retreating to her sister. "I told you last time about my abilities," she reminded in a sing-song voice.

His ears twitched in annoyance at her tone. "If I wanted to drain you of your power, I would do it; you know I don't wish to do as such to my mate." He rebutted.

"Milord why did you ever become so attached to a woman like her? She is byfar very insolent and unbecoming of a fitting mate for a great demon lord like my master…" Jaken began to berate before a large rock was thrown on his head, sending him sprawling face-first into the ground.

"Piss off and keep your amphibious snout outta this, frog." Getsu snapped indignantly with a huff, dusting her hands off as she leaned against the shoulder of Ah-Un and ignoring the deadpanned stares of her fellow _yokai_ companions.

Sesshomaru ripped the arm off after deeming it useless, tossing it at the feet of the bruised imp. "Even if I do find another arm, it won't completely replace the one I lost." He mused aloud.

"A rather vexing problem, isn't it?" A familiar drawl sounded, surprising all three _yokai_.

The sight of a figure having donned a beige pelt wearing a blue baboon skull bowed respectfully before the great _Inu-Daiyokai_; he looked over his shoulder at the figure.

"Naraku!" Korihime and Getsu hopped into action, an arrow being loaded into the blue long bow and aimed at the figure; the latter hopped to stand between her mate and the vile half-demon, katana drawn and bared brazenly. "Explain your reason for being here, filth." Getsu growled coldly, her silver eyes tight.

She could clearly tell this was another puppet, but just the sight of the vulgar half-demon pissed her off to no end.

"I am someone like you who despises InuYasha; forgive me, but I happened to overhear your conversation." He lifted up a pale discarded human arm complete with a black wrist guard.

Her nose wrinkled as a low growl brewed in her throat.

"Perhaps I could be of assistance for once; might I suggest you try this arm?" He wondered, as if he had forgotten he was dealing with the mate of the _Okami-Daiyokai_ he had taken the home and parents of.

"It's a **human** arm, in case you've forgotten." She spat.

He smirked beneath the covering of the baboon skull. "I am well aware of that. This is a human arm, but however it contains a shard of the Shikon Jewel embedded in it; should you choose to employ this arm, it will enable you to wield the Tetsusaiga, InuYasha's sword. It is unusable by demons, but by humans it is a deadly weapon." He declared, ignoring her comment and quiet snarl of anger.

"You mentioned something about despising InuYasha; you don't intend to use me to exact revenge, do you?" He wondered cautiously.

"He's not seriously contemplating…" The younger of the trio began softly to herself in disbelief.

"You've got a hell of a lot of nerve to ask such a damn thing of a demon as powerful as…" The older she-wolf began to swear.

He shot her a look. "Very well, I shall accept the arm." He declared after mulling over the pros and cons of accepting the offer presented before him: Getsu would kill him for this.

"Sesshomaru…" Korihime balked.

"Leave now!" A torrent of blue fire screamed at the puppet; it faded from sight and was replaced with a small hive that lay on the ground, unperturbed by the blast of wolf fire that came from her palm.

"Before I was so rudely interrupted by your precious female, I forgot to mention to use that hive on the ground there. It will come in handy." Naraku's voice hovered in the air before it sounded no more.

Getsu growled, twisting on her heel to glare up at him as he picked up the hive and stowed it in his sleeve. "You're insane! Do you realize what the hell you just did!?" She demanded sharply.

Sesshomaru scowled at her, twisting the arm in place and fighting a grimace at the slight stab of pain in his left stump. "I am well aware of what I did, I don't need you to remind me. Besides, Naraku is first and foremost your enemy than mine. It was not my father he slayed so callously…"

**_FWHACK_**.

Jaken and Korihime balked.

A bright red handprint appeared on his left cheek; he stumbled back a little from the impact her slap had on him, gold eyes wide in shock. "Getsu…"

_Did she just slap him?_

"I thought you were the man I loved, but apparently I was wrong. You're just as vile and cruel as I first believed you to be! I… I don't want you as my mate anymore." Getsu spoke lowly, softly, tears starting to brim in her eyes; she turned away to lope off into the growing darkness of the forest behind them before he could say anything else.

"Getsu!" Korihime called, sparing a look over at her brother-in-law before she hopped off the dragon's back and took off after her fleeing form.

Sesshomaru stared after both females' leave, lifting his right hand to gingerly touch the handprint on his cheek. _Getsu_…

His inner demon snarled angrily in his ears, enraged that he had let her go so easily.

* * *

A/N: sorry for the slight cliffhanger, it gets better in the next chap don't worry. until then, see ya!


	14. The Wolf's Bane - Don't Leave My Side

A/N: we didn't leave off on good terms last chapter. it does get better so enjoy this chap!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

*_*__**terms to be familiar with**__ (i apologize in advance for not doing this sooner! /bows)_:

"**daiyokai**" - great demon lord/lady

"**okami**" - wolf

"**inu**" - dog

"**hanyou**" - half-demon

"**yokai**" - full-demon/ a demon that has a humanoid appearance

"**kitsune**" - fox demon

* * *

_**Chapter 14: The Wolf's Bane - Don't Leave My Side**_

'_Stop running_.'

_I'm not going back to him; he can rot for all I care_, she snapped back, coming to a halt despite her anger just short of a hilltop that overlooked a small valley. She wiped the tears from her eyes with a sleeve, looking up at the stars.

'_You're a fool to leave him. What if he dies? Then what will you do?_' It scolded, a growl sounding in her ears.

_I don't care what happens to him; he betrayed me… Why in hell did he do this to me?_ She jerked her gaze away from the bright bodies overhead to close her eyes tightly against the new flow of tears that slowly spilled down her cheeks.

'_You and I know him, we both know he is a passionate and persistent demon. This need for the Tetsusaiga that he so wants is what is driving him to such actions. But he also is afraid of losing you… I think you hurt him more than with your slap._' It sounded reasonable, which surprised her because she was prone to it being more like her evil adviser.

The tears stung like hot pokers as they glistened in the starlight. _I'm afraid of losing him, too! I just… I don't want him to die. He is the only man I've ever given my heart to, and to have him make a deal with the devil like this… Damn it all, I hate this!_ She inwardly growled.

"Getsu-onee." Her sister's voice sounded soft behind her as she felt her place a hand on her shoulder.

She sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes, looking into her blue eyes and smiling weakly. "I'm okay, Kori, honest." She croaked, her voice hoarse.

She placed her arm around her shoulders, hugging her; she held onto her tightly, hugging her shoulders.

"I have to go back to him." Getsu mused softly once she had stopped crying moments later, slightly surprising her sister, as she stared into her blue eyes after they'd pulled apart.

Korihime cocked a brow. "What brought on this change in heart?" She asked quietly, confused yet curious.

She looked past her at the trees she'd emerged from, almost imagining he was standing there watching them. "Naraku won't let him off so easily, he's going to try and kill him. I know he is; and I have to stop it." She said the last part in a growl.

She nodded, taking on a determined look as she smirked. "You know I'm going with you."  
She mirrored the determined look in her eyes and smiled, folding an arm over her shoulders. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

The faint scent of _oni_ blew in a soft breeze, perking both of their ears.

"An ogre…?" Korihime sniffed the air and widened her eyes slightly. "Onee-chan, it's him… it's his scent!" She exclaimed.

"Let's move, Kori," Getsu sprinted to the trees; she nodded and flew after her as both sisters disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

"Remarkable!"

"Yeah, he's quite the sight, isn't he?"

"Demon-wise, I suppose so…" The monk blinked.

A surprised scream began to spill into the night air before both sisters silenced the trio with a hand/foot. "_**Quiet down**__!_" The blue-eyed one hissed.

"Geez, you humans are impossible… If you promise to keep quiet I won't beat any of you into a coma. Got it?" The silver-eyed one sighed quietly, looking from one set of blue eyes to one set of brown eyes to one set of aqua eyes expectantly.

The trio nodded simultaneously before the foot and hands were removed from their mouths.

"W-who are you two?" The youngest of the trio, a redhead fox kitsune with a tan tail asked hesitantly, looking from both sisters as he smelled wolf demon scent on them.

"Getsu." The ebony-haired sister said.

"Korihime." The cobalt-haired sister said.

"**Nice to meet you**." They declared in unison with a flash of a kind smile.

The girl, a priestess from what they could tell (aside from her strange green, white and red clothing), smiled slightly. _Well, at least they don't mean to kill us_, she thought. "It's nice to meet you two, too; I'm Kagome, this is Shippo, and that's Miroku." She pointed out her two companions.

The monk Miroku suddenly gained a strange light in his eyes and took the left hand of the cobalt-haired _yokai_. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady; I know we just met and all, but would you do me the honor of bearing my child?" He asked pleasantly.

Both sisters blinked once; Kagome and Shippo deadpanned.

"**_PERVERT_**!"

**_THWACK_**.

"O-Okay, I'll take that as a 'no'!" He yelped.

His ears twitched; _that sounded like Korihime_, he thought, briefly shooting a look over at where the humans plus kitsune were hiding in a brush.

Her angered silver eyes caught his attention.

_Getsu_… His inner demon hummed happily in his ears. '_I told you she would come back._' It pointed out smugly.

A battle cry sounded from his half-brother as he leaped overhead with the Tetsusaiga bared and raised high, jarring him from his thoughts and would-be rebuttal to his inner beast's smug comment.

He dodged, weaving in and out of his little brother's clumsy dives, huffing. "I see you're as stupid as ever, considering you haven't even awoken the true power of Tetsusaiga." He drawled.

"Oh yeah? I doubt I'll need to do that before I kill you!" He barked as he lunged again.

His claws glowed green before he caught his extended wrist with ease; a light green glow came from his grip he had as the poison burned through his flesh, making him cry out in pain.

"I must hand it to him to be able to stand so well against him," Korihime mused quietly, tapping her chin in thought.

"I know; but you forget that he **_is_** just a half-breed. His fighting style is atrocious; it's worse than mine was when I was little." Getsu chimed in distaste.

"Um, do you both travel with Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked as the brothers fought once again, looking at both sisters.

"Yep."

"Regrettably."

"Well that explains why I smelled dog demon on you, Miss Getsu." Shippo piped up, meeting the silver eyes of the older sister.

Getsu blinked before she smiled slightly, tousling his hair. "You have a keen nose for a fox kit. And you can call me 'Getsu-onee' if y'like." She added with a kind smile.

"Oi, I thought **I** was the only one to call ya that," Korihime pouted, deadpanning.

"We're related by blood, dummy, but Shippo's just a kit! He doesn't have a pack like we do… or rather we did." Getsu cuffed her gently, eyes closed serenely.

She winced and rubbed her head gingerly, blinking as the ground trembled, surprising all five of them.

"W-what's happening?" Shippo whimpered as he scrambled to hide in the older she-wolf's lap.

Both sisters widened their eyes slightly as the giant ogre Sesshomaru had summoned slammed a large paw onto the mountains in the distance; a strange glow came from the trees before a large horde of lesser demons rose up from the mountain and shot out towards where they were.

"Shit!" Korihime groaned.

"Kori, I'll take the demons, you get rid of the ogre." Getsu ordered, perking her ears.

"Right!" She nodded curtly.

"Wait a second!" Kagome barked as both of them began to take off.

"_Now what?_" The sisters demanded in chorus, their ears perking as they looked at Sesshomaru as he wielded the Tetsusaiga.

Sesshomaru swung the fang at the oncoming demons; a blast of yellow demonic energy screamed at the horde, decimating them instantly.

"So that's how Tetsusaiga works," she breathed in awe.

He spared a look over at the hiding group, meeting her surprised silver eyes; her eyes met his, reminding him of the first day they met once again.

Her eyes saddened slightly and she looked away, glaring at where the demons once were, shaking her head. "Kori, the _oni_, now." She ordered sharply.

She drew an arrow from her quiver. "You got it," she winked and spirited away, reappearing on a hilltop near the towering ogre.

"Hey, where're you…?" InuYasha barked, his gold eyes widening as a pink glow radiated from her bow and arrow.

Korihime released the arrow, sending it flying at the chest of the ogre demon; the same pink glow consumed the figure of the _oni_, making it cry out loudly in agony as it was felled, disintegrating and sending a small green imp flailing and squawking as he fell to the ground.

_Her aura… she's a full demon like Sesshomaru!_ He thought in awe. _But this scent… It isn't dog!_

She looked over at him and smiled toothily, winking. "_Ohaiyo_."

"Show off," she deadpanned, refraining from rolling her eyes at his long-winded gloat he voiced.

"InuYasha!" Kagome made to run to his side.

"Hold it, Kagome; I will go. You two stay behind me." Miroku stated quickly, making her look back at him.

Getsu shook her head silently; _you're wasting your breath, monk_, she thought, listening once again to him gloat. "Remind me to brain him as soon as we get away from here." She mumbled to her inner demon.

"I'm afraid I must put an end to this sibling rivalry; I can bear to hear it no longer." The monk declared as he stood between the brothers, the staff in hand lifted slightly.

_I guess this is as good a time as any to use the hive_, he thought, pulling the hive from his sleeve and tossing it into the air; hornets rose up and flew at the monk as he opened his palm he kept covered and a tunnel of wind began to fly at the opened tunnel, plugging it up and bringing great pain to the monk.

"Miroku," she began in surprise as he grimaced in pain and held onto his hand; InuYasha swiped at the hornets that attacked them with his claws, Shippo using his Fox Fire attack to try and dispel the hornets.

"Both of you can't fight for crap," Getsu cracked her knuckles as she moved forward, watching the hornets hone in on her and sail at her face.

"Getsu-onee, no!" Shippo called.

A wall of blue wolf fire formed infront of the _Okami-Daiyokai_, burning the insects alive on contact.

"Your wolf fire is certainly stronger than it once was a few centuries ago." Sesshomaru declared.

Getsu met his gold eyes and widened her own a little as she saw there was something like repentance flashing in his stare; the out-of-character light faded instantly and was replaced with his usual stoicness. She bristled and stayed silent, folding her arms.

"Hey, get back, wolf! _Blades of Blood!_" InuYasha swung his hand out as four jets of red energy sailed at the _Inu-Daiyokai_, forcing her to leap away.

Her inner demon whined and growled in her ears as it longed to be with him once again; she sent a thundering snarl at it, quieting the beast to mere grumblings that came as a low hum in her ears.

"You owe me big for this, Miroku…" InuYasha grumbled as he dragged the monk away to hide.

"I will end this once and for all," Sesshomaru promised quietly as he walked after their fleeing form.

Getsu grabbed his arm wielding the Tetsusaiga from behind, latching onto him. "Don't do it, Sesshomaru! He's just a human! And InuYasha…" She began sharply.

"Getsu, get off me." He tried to shake her off.

"I won't! Whether you like it or not, InuYasha is your brother! You don't need to do this…!" She cried.

Sesshomaru glared into her stubborn silver eyes, looking away as his aura pulsed. "I told you to get away." His aura fluctuated wildly, forcing her to release him and fly back as he continued onward.

"No, Sesshomaru!" Getsu shouted, perking up as Korihime held her back from trying to intervene. "Run, you fool! **InuYasha**!" She exclaimed fearfully.

Sesshomaru swung the fang down, destroying the hiding place they were hiding at in a single stroke.

InuYasha was the first to scramble out of the demolished trees they'd hidden in, leaping at him; they commenced their fighting again, a slight relief to her.

"Getsu, we need to get out of the crossfire; there's no telling how much more dangerous this could get." Korihime declared, helping her to her feet.

Getsu nodded, keeping her eye on InuYasha as he blocked his strikes with the sheath of Tetsusaiga; _the sheath must have some sort of barrier on it for him to be able to use it for defense_, she thought.

"Korihime, can I borrow these?" Kagome asked as she came forward to the blue-haired _yokai_.

"Yeah," she nodded, handing her the long bow and an arrow, watching her poise the arrow and aim at the Tetsusaiga.

Getsu perked up as Sesshomaru had knocked the scabbard from his brother's hands, lifting Tetsusaiga high for a death blow. "No!" She barked.

Kagome fired the arrow; it sailed at the fang, piercing the barrier around the blade and making it transform back into a rusty old katana.  
Her eyes widened slightly.

"Kagome, you did it!" Korihime beamed, smiling at the girl, watching her lift the bow again and take another arrow.  
"Sesshomaru, drop the sword or the next arrow is going in your heart!" Kagome threatened, gripping the bow tightly.

Getsu perked up. "Kagome, don't! His arm, it's…"

"Stay out of this, Getsu." Sesshomaru ordered sharply, making her wince.  
"You keep your mouth shut, you overgrown dog! I'm not finished with you." She snarled, baring her teeth at him.

He had a vague feeling that he was going to be doing a lot of explaining once this was over.

"Say goodbye to your shard!" She fired again; the arrow missed as he sidestepped it, claws drawn as he flew at her.  
"**No**!" Korihime and Getsu shouted in chorus.

"Keep your claws away from her!" InuYasha diverted him, swinging his own claws at him and sending the same four jets of energy at his face, nicking his right cheek as he leaped away.

"InuYasha," Kagome began in relief.

"Idiot half-breed, that was too close!" Korihime berated as the aforementioned _hanyou_ landed infront of the two girls.

"Shut yer mouth, fluff-ball!" InuYasha snapped.

Getsu sighed in relief, perking up as Sesshomaru landed nimbly several hundred yards away from where she stood.  
"You're worse than me when it comes to a battle," she thought aloud under her breath.

_So apparently Tetsusaiga has rejected me as its wielder, given that an arrow shot by a mortal girl reversed the transformation_, he thought, looking at the dingy form of Tetsusaiga.

"Korihime, let me borrow a couple of more arrows; I'll return the bow to you, honest!" Kagome declared as she took two more arrows from her quiver and hurried to take the shard in his new arm.  
She nodded, watching her tend to the monk before the two brothers started fighting again; she fired another arrow, destroying the curved shoulder guard of his armor and making it break.

"You did it!" Shippo praised.

_This is the last one; let's hope it hits!_ Kagome thought, firing the last arrow she borrowed from the wolf demon.

Sesshomaru caught it between his right index and middle finger, the poison in his claws melting the arrow instantly.

"Getsu if it's all the same to you, I'm going to brain him for destroying one of my arrows." Korihime declared annoyedly as she joined her sister in standing on the sidelines.

"Fair enough, we'll tag-team." Getsu nodded.

"And now I shall put an end to your interference!" He swung the fang at the girl.

"**KAGOME**!" Korihime shouted as Getsu sprinted to save the girl in time.

His gold eyes widened slightly at her recklessness. "Getsu!" He barked.

"Look out!" The kitsune exclaimed.

"_Divine Barricade!_" Getsu lifted the fang horizontally when she reached the girl before the blast could; a pale blue barrier formed quickly infront of the two females to prevent the blast from making direct contact.

"Getsu," he breathed quietly in surprise. _Her Mangetsuga, since when can it put up a barrier?_ He wondered, ears perking as the blast broke past the barrier and sent the two girls flying. "Getsu!"

"Kagome!" InuYasha shouted as he sprinted forward.

Her head was spinning; she grunted and sat up a little, rubbing her head and looking at the discarded katana lying on the ground a few feet away. "Kagome," she looked at the girl to see she was unconscious; she listened for her heart and sighed in relief. "Thank God," she muttered, gingerly getting to her feet and picking up her katana from the ground.

"Kagome!" The _hanyou_ skidded to a halt next to the girl, looking up at the wolf demon and bristling. "Hey," he growled, perking her ears.

She looked at him. "What is it?"

He huffed, "your name's Getsu, right?" She nodded; his gold eyes looked like they softened slightly in gratitude. "Thanks for doing what you did." He said quietly.

She blinked and then nodded. "Mates stick together; you would do well to remember that, dog boy, for her sake." She declared in the same tone, smirking a little before she walked away, sheathing her katana with a quiet '_clink_' when the silver blade was sheathed in the black scabbard.

Sesshomaru sent her a stony look when she glanced his way; she bristled and flashed her teeth defensively, stiff-leggedly passing by him to see her sister, her tail poised in mid-air.

'_It would be wise for you to apologize before you lose her completely_.' His inner demon growled inside his head.

He inwardly scoffed. _Don't you think I know that?_ He snapped, lifting the sword at the huddled group of his little brother and his comrades. "Girls, I suggest you stay out of the blast zone." He advised, preparing to deal a death blow.

"Sesshomaru, **don't**!" Korihime shouted alertly as InuYasha flew at him.

He stabbed into his back with his claws, making his little brother cry out in pain.

"InuYasha!" Getsu barked, making to run forward.

"Onee-chan!" She barked alertly.

InuYasha yanked the fake arm off, grabbing the Tetsusaiga and tossing the arm aside as Sesshomaru leaped away, making the _Okami-Daiyokai_ skid to a halt as both she and her sister's eyes widened slightly in awe.

"The arm," Getsu began softly.

InuYasha grunted and kneeled on one leg, gripping the handle of the fang tightly.  
"His consciousness; InuYasha," Korihime began to go to his side.

"Stay away from him, Korihime." Sesshomaru ordered, perking her ears.

"But…" She began, quieting at the stony look in his gold eyes; she reluctantly obeyed and remained where she was.

"It'd be wise for us to leave now, the Tetsusaiga is beyond my reach. Girls." He declared, beginning to take off into the night.

She spirited after him, her sister flanking her.

She looked over her shoulder at the group, frowning softly before she looked away.

::::::::xXx::::::::

She perked her ears as both master and servant returned to where they had left Ah-Un.

"Jaken, can I borrow your staff for a second?" She asked sweetly, taking the staff from the imp and measuring its weight in her hands before a strange glint appeared in her blue eyes as she looked at her brother-in-law.

"**YOU IDIOT DOG**!"

**_THWACK_**.

**_THWACK_**.

**_THWACK_**.

The imp balked as he was handed the staff back.

"You've got a hell of a lot of nerve to ruin one of my arrows that way! You're lucky she's upset otherwise she'd have beaten you into a friggin' coma!" She scolded angrily as he ignored the throbbing pain coming from the three large bumps on his head.

He looked slightly apologetic, his gold eyes sharpening at the mention of his mate. "Where is she?" He asked quietly, slightly surprising his sister-in-law.

Her blue eyes saddened and she looked over her shoulder at the trees, particularly at a tall oak several hundred yards away. "Over there." She replied in the same tone.

He nodded and dipped his head once in apology before he walked away from them._ Leave it to her to be hiding out in a tree of all places_, he thought with an inward sigh.

She sighed and reached to pet the head of Un gently, scritching the bridge of his muzzle. _You'd better do something about this, Sesshomaru, before she's gone for good_, she thought.

* * *

"May I join you?"

She blinked at the sound of his voice, looking down at the foot of the tree to see him staring up at her with his familiar gold eyes. "Go away, dog. I'm still mad at you." She huffed.

He sighed. _Of _**course**_ she would reply this way_, he thought, the muscles in his legs tensing for a spring before he leaped up to her branch she was perched on.

_So much for being chivalrous_.

She bristled visibly and bared her teeth at him as he landed on the branch, claws sharpening. "I said 'go away'!" She made to smack him again.

He grabbed her wrist in time, slightly surprising her; his gold eyes were hard. "We need to talk." He stated calmly.

She glowered into his gold stare, being met with a surge of dominance and thinning patience; she growled under her breath in reluctant defeat, backing down but maintaining the angered bristle. "I don't want to talk with you." She ground out between her teeth.

"I figured as much… And I know I have a lot of explaining to do."

She huffed at that, feeling his hand squeeze gently on her wrist. "But first and foremost, I apologize."  
Her ears twitched.  
"I apologize for what I did and not listening to you, as well as being… what's the term again? 'A jackass-bastard', to you." He declared, his voice quieted by the time he was finished talking, dropping her wrist at last and watching it slip back inside the sleeve of her kimono.

She fell silent, lowering her gaze as a soft breeze stole past them through the darkness of the tree. "Your pride sounds like it's whining from taking such a blow." She mumbled at last after several minutes of silence.

His face softened in relief at hearing her speak at last. "I would imagine it is, but it doesn't matter right now." He saw her silver eyes lift to meet his gold with something like surprise and confusion in her stare. "W… what you said last night, about not wanting to be mates… Did you mean it?" He lowered his gaze this time, seeing her wince slightly before his gaze lowered.

She felt like an idiot for telling him that; her inner beast whined again as it wanted to be with him again. A quiet exhale escaped her.

He felt her lift his chin up, slightly surprising him, before his gold eyes stared into her softened silver stare.

"Getsu," he began before he was silenced when her lips pressed themselves onto his softly; he closed his eyes and felt her arms fold over his shoulders as he held her chin gently and deepened the kiss, leaning forward and pressing her back into the tree trunk behind her, the bark lightly pressing into her back.

She moaned softly and buried her fingers in his silver hair, feeling him cage her to the tree, hearing his claws dig into the bark, as his kiss turned hungry and needing.

He groaned as it felt like centuries since he'd held her or kissed her usually-pouting lips he wiped the pout off of, sinking down a little onto her lithe body and feeling her right leg rest against his pelvic bone, her tail tucked and curled between her legs in reverence for his dominant gestures.

Getsu ran her claws gently down his neck, hearing him growl softly, combing through his long hair with her free hand's claws, blushing as she could almost feel him throb against her leg pressed close enough to hurt his groin.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes stiffly, the rims of his eyes tinted red in that familiar dominant way, looking down at her as she stroked the cheek InuYasha had nicked, the cut almost gone from his skin; the red tint faded and his eyes looked like melted gold.

"Don't leave my side." He requested softly, perking her ears.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Sesshomaru," she whispered, shocked that he had said that; was the almighty Sesshomaru asking her to stay with him? Her eyes softened and she nodded. "Not even until the end." She replied in the same tone.

He smiled a little, kissing her. "And then some." He amended.

She bumped foreheads when he pulled back, hugging his neck. "I'm sorry I hurt you, with what I said… and the slap." She looked sheepish.

He shrugged, sitting up and letting her sit straight. "I suppose I deserved the slap; I insulted your father's memory in saying what I said." He replied.

Getsu smiled bitterly, ears twitching as she remembered his arm, looking at him. "You got rid of the arm; Naraku's stink isn't around, so I imagine you also got rid of the Saimyosho." She pointed out.

"I did, yes." Sesshomaru nodded, his lip curling at the memory. "He just wanted to use me to destroy InuYasha… That vile shit." He grumbled.

She nodded, leaning in to kiss his nose; he blinked and then wrinkled it, making her laugh.

He smiled in reluctant defeat, sighing and lifting a hand to rub the back of his head. "Remind me to never make Korihime angry… She beat me three times with the Staff of Two Heads and it hurt like some fresh hell." He mused.

She snickered and ignored the pouting face he made, laughing again. "I can imagine. Kori… well, she's usually calm but if you piss her off she can be pretty scary. I guess you found out the hard way." She amended, smirking.

_Karma really is a bitch_.

"Don't patronize me," Sesshomaru growled.

Getsu smiled cheekily. "I have no idea what you're talking about…" She squeaked when he pinned her to the tree again, caging her to the rough bark that dug into her back, his lips hovering over hers as his eyes glinted red.

"Sarcasm will only get you so far, my princess." He remarked softly, his voice almost a dark purr, a sign she knew his inner demon was doing the talking, his teeth nibbling on her lower lip and tugging softly before he kissed a trail down to her neck.

"S-shut up, you arrogant oversized… Ah!" She moaned softly when he grinded his hips against hers, a soft whimper uttered as her tail curled again and she spread her legs obediently.

He heard no more complaints from his wolf princess for the rest of the night.

* * *

A/N: a chap well done, i would think, no?

and just a little tidbit, i was listening to '**Keep the Streets Empty for Me**' by **Fever Ray** and '**Stripped**' by **Shiny Toy Guns** for the last paragraph, therein fueling the smut-hinting xD anyway, you guys know the drill. see ya!


	15. Survival: Protect Me (From Myself)

A/N: where we last left off, there was smut-hinting to be had and apologies made. no telling what this chap will hold so see for yourself and enjoy~ ;D

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 15: Survival: Protect Me (From Myself)_**

"_Oh Sesshomaru~_"

He grimaced at the sing-song tone both sisters had in their voices, looking at them from preparing to leave again. "What is it **now**?"

"**YOU JERK**!"

_**THWACK**_.

_**THWACK**_.

"G-gah, milord, what have you done to him you disreputable wenches!?" The imp squawked angrily as his master sported two large bumps on his head that made him look like a panda.

"_**NOONE ASKED YOU**__!_" The wolf sisters snarled angrily back in unison, making the imp shrink at the intensity in their angered eyes.

Ah-Un tilted his heads to one side in curiosity at the scene.

"Let's go, Ah-Un!" Korihime beamed at the dragon, hopping onto his back as Getsu joined her, snapping the reins gently; the dragon made a noise and flew high into the air.

"C'mon, the day's wastin', _**Sessh-kun**__!_" Getsu hollered lightly from the dragon's place high over the treetops as Korihime laughed.

Sesshomaru rubbed his head gingerly, scowling up at the two females. "I should've killed her when I had the chance." He grumbled, lifting into the air with a flailing imp grabbing hold of his stole as he followed their lead.

::::::xXx:::::::

"Onee-chan?"

She looked up at her as she rode on the dragon's back, smoke rising up from the ground beneath their feet. "Mm?"

"Aren't your feet burning because of the ground? You're technically walking on lava… and bare-foot." She tilted her head to one side.

She shrugged, "it's not something I haven't felt before; I guess I must be used to the heat because of my wolf fire. You on the other hand would melt like wax if you set foot on the ground we're walking on." She said with a teasing smirk.

She pouted. "Shut up, don't act so friggin' pious! Geez, just because you gained Father's wolf fire you lord it over me like if I'm a cub again." She griped, turning away as she snickered.

"Whatever you say, little sister." She sighed.

He looked back at her and smirked. "Heckling your sister at this time of night… You really are devious." He scolded calmly.

She blushed and smirked back, kicking the back of his leg with a foot. "Shut up and keep walkin', dog breath." She teased, winking.

He chuckled quietly, looking forward and saying no more. She had been more playful after that night he'd apologized to her, reverting to her old habits that first intrigued and amused him so many years ago.

Of course her old habits got annoying sometimes, but he couldn't complain elsewise.

All three _yokai_ sniffed the air as they smelled cooking toad.  
Korihime's stomach grumbled. "Oi, Sesshomaru, can we eat him if he falls into the lava?" She asked innocently.

Sesshomaru sweatdropped as Getsu deadpanned and stuck her tongue out. "Not today, Korihime." He replied.

"Aww, fine! But if he gets cooked next time we come here, I'm putting him on a stick and eating fried toad." She huffed and folded her arms behind her head as she relaxed on the dragon's back again.

"And you think _I'm_ bad," she nudged him with a chuckle, weaving around him with her arms folded behind her head leisurely as she noticed the imp had come to a halt and was calling into the gaping maw of an old demon's skeleton that looked to be a home of some sort.

He rolled his eyes and followed, leading the dragon after her. "Are you still upset that I ruined one of your arrows?" He wondered of the dragon's rider.

"Nope, not as much anymore, leastways; I can always find more arrows, I just was upset because I'd carried those all the way from the West." _Only to have them ruined or discarded like yesterday's garbage_, she thought with a sore look.

"You two really are sisters: noone other than Getsu can practically brain me into a coma like you." Sesshomaru added, perking her ears.

Korihime giggled and smirked up at the dark sky, closing her eyes serenely. "The way of the fist was one thing Father taught us when we were younger; knowing where to land the hit is just skill." She mused.

_That doesn't surprise me_, he thought.

* * *

"If he has long white hair, wears a fur and is looking for a sword stronger than Tetsusaiga…"

"He's my brother-in-law." She sighed.

The huddled group yelped in surprise at the wolf demon's appearance.

"K-Kori-chan!" The kitsune squeaked, being the first to break from the stunned ambience of his group to meet the blue-haired demon's blue eyes.

She smiled lightly and waved. "Yo."

"Oi, what the hell're you doin' around here, wolf? Shouldn't you be lickin' my brother's heels or something?" The _hanyou_ barked indignantly, stomping up to her after being spooked.

**_THWACK_**.

"It's great to see you again as well, InuYasha; since we're technically related ya shouldn't be acting so callously towards a member of your pack." She deadpanned, slinging the blue long bow over her right shoulder leisurely after whacking him upside the head with it.

A large bump swelled on his head from the blow; the priestess, kitsune, and monk sweatdropped.

"Um, Korihime, what did you mean by 'technically related'? Did Sesshomaru and Getsu…?" The priestess began to ask, seeing her ears twitch as she looked up from the _hanyou_ that grumbled curses at her for hitting him.

"They're not married by human standards, but in our kind, when two demons bond and mate they're considered married. So Sesshomaru is my brother-in-law and this dumbass," she nodded at the _hanyou_. "Is my brother-in-law's little brother. Sounds fair?" She explained calmly.

The monk and priestess nodded simultaneously.

"So that means InuYasha can't have you as a girlfriend," Shippo mused aloud, tapping his little chin.

Korihime blushed and then huffed as InuYasha also turned red before he stomped a foot onto the kitsune's head. "Not even close, kit." She managed, clearing her throat and looking away.

"Korihime, where's Getsu; shouldn't you be travelling with her?" Miroku asked, making her ears twitch again.

Korihime looked up as the kitsune scrambled away to hop onto her shoulder, tapping her chin. "She should be here any second now…" She began.

"He's here!" The withered form of Totosai the welder proclaimed gravely, making everyone gathered look at him before looking up at the sky to see the form of Sesshomaru riding Ah-Un with Getsu at his back coming into view.

"Sesshomaru!" InuYasha growled.

* * *

A/N: ahah another cliffhanger.. i'm starting to get good at these. xD /_gets bricked_  
anywho, that's all for now so until next chap, see ya! and don't forget to **review**!


	16. Moons: Heave the Silver

A/N: sorry for the technical cliffhanger last chap, this chap also leaves off on a cliffhanger only because there's a couple of action scenes in the following chap after this so just a head's up. also, i'm surprised i managed to get this fic to at least sixteen chaps! anywho, enough rambling. enjoy the chap!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 16: Moons: Heave the Silver**_

"Oh there they are." Korihime deadpanned.

_So casual_, the _hanyou_ sweatdropped, shooting the wolf _yokai_ a look which she blissfully ignored.

"**Who** is that?" The fourth woman present asked warily.

"InuYasha's older brother." Miroku answered grimly.

Korihime exhaled, "you mentioned he commissioned this old man to forge a sword? Geez, he's as persistent as ever… I still wonder what it is my sister sees in him." She grumbled with a shake of her head.

"InuYasha, why have you conspired with Totosai to plot against me?" Sesshomaru wondered of his little brother, glancing at the cowering welder behind the half-breed.

"Because you happen to be evil incarnate!" Totosai yelped.

'_Evil incarnate…?_' Sesshomaru inwardly repeated; his inner beast huffed proudly at the unofficial title.

Getsu deadpanned, "strong words comin' from an old sod like him." She muttered.

Korihime couldn't help but giggle. "Aww he likes you!" She teased, earning a look from InuYasha, Totosai, and Sesshomaru.

_How is that a way of saying he likes him…?_ The priestess wondered, sweatdropping.

"Totosai, it sounds like you're ready for an early retirement… into your grave." Sesshomaru growled, making the already-cowering welder yelp that he would forge the sword once he killed InuYasha off.

"**_Oi whose side are you on, ya old geezer!?_**" Getsu, Korihime and InuYasha barked in chorus.

"Did you hear that, InuYasha? He's going to forge a sword for me once I kill you." He declared in an out-of-character jovial tone as he hopped off the dragon's back and handed the reins to his companion.

"Take cover, Kagome!" The monk barked as the priestess, kit, welder and wolf demon hurried out of the way of the oncoming _Inu-Daiyokai_.

"Sesshomaru…!" She began as he leaped down at his brother; she sighed patiently and slapped her forehead. "Good grief, and you wonder why he called you '_evil incarnate_'… Idiot dog." She grumbled, steering the dragon to the left side to be out of the line of fire as the brothers began duking it out again.

"When are they ever going to learn…? It's a wonder neither Getsu or me were born as boys, we'd prolly be just as bull-headed." Korihime grumbled from her place standing by the tree, holding a slightly spooked kitsune in her arms.

Sesshomaru finally decked InuYasha across the cheek, sending him sprawling back.

"I told you his fighting style was atrocious." Getsu sighed, tossing the reins to the imp before leaping down and landing nimbly on one foot by the huddled group of humans plus kitsune, twin-tailed cat demon and her sister.

"Onee-chan," she smiled slightly.

"Getsu-onee!" Shippo leaped into her arms, making the _Okami-Daiyokai_ laugh lightly and hold him.

"If those two morons ever settle their differences, I'm gonna have to insist I train InuYasha to fight better. His fighting style is worse than mine used to be when I was a cub." The aforementioned she-wolf declared patiently as the kitsune scrambled to hold onto her left shoulder, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono top.

"So I would imagine you can fight fairly well for a female demon," the fourth woman present noted aloud, making her ears twitch.

She met her brown eyes and nodded, shrugging. "My father trained both myself and my sister to be able to fight firstly by hand-to-hand combat when we were young, so at this point it comes natural to us. You're new, I see, and judging by your weapon I can tell you're also a demon slayer; what's your name?" She lifted a brow.

She nodded back, smiling a little at seeing that these two demons meant no harm, as well as already being familiar with her new traveling group. "Sango, and this is Kirara." She replied, looking down at the twin-tailed _neko _in her arms.

The _neko_ mewed and shuffled out of her arms to hop at the younger sister, nuzzling and making small purring noises as she rubbed against her cheek, making her laugh.

"Nice to meet you; that's Korihime and I'm Getsu." She smiled lightly at the friendly _neko_ and her master, looking over at the two brothers and sighing, dipping her head patiently. "I must apologize for the… family visit. Sesshomaru's been on a mission to get stronger for the last century or so, so naturally he's wanted the Tetsusaiga InuYasha has been bestowed with from their father. You'll have to forgive him." She laughed weakly and rubbed her neck.

"So I take it you two patched things up after last time?" Miroku wondered, perking her ears.

Getsu nodded and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, we're good. He's just… well, bull-headed. Not unlike his little brother." She replied with an innocent shrug.

"I heard that." Sesshomaru declared over his shoulder without turning to her, making her cringe.

Korihime snickered and smiled as Kirara settled onto her right shoulder. "Don't get huffy over there, ice king." She quipped as her sister blushed and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well Totosai don't you feel sorry for Tetsusaiga? It's a shame to see all your hard work go to waste when seeing InuYasha swing it around like a Neanderthal with a wooden club." Sesshomaru turned to the welder next. "The sword can live or die, depending on its master."

"I must agree," Totosai nodded after receiving a beating from the priestess as she hit him with his hammer.

"Don't give me that, swordsmith, otherwise you'll really have something to be worried about!" InuYasha threatened. "I'm only warming up; you'll be shocked to see the power I really got!" He swung the large fang at his brother, the latter bobbing and weaving effortlessly around his clumsy swings.

"Yeah he had it right on the nose; but he's acting more like an _oni_ swinging a spiked club." Korihime sighed.

Sesshomaru finally lunged and caught his wrist, the poison burning into his skin. "Well, Totosai, do you still refuse to forge a sword for me?" He asked.

"Hm… no way!" Totosai declined as he leaped overhead and spouted out a beam of fire.

Sesshomaru leaped out of the way as InuYasha got the brunt of the attack; both sisters deadpanned as their leader landed nimbly on the other side of the small firewall. "So you honestly refuse?" He called.

"Keep quiet you ungrateful mongrel! You know as well as I do that I already forged for you an excellent sword! The sword of Heaven, the Tensaiga!" Totosai barked, pointing an accusing finger at him.

'_Sword of Heaven..?_' Getsu inwardly repeated, making a mental note to ask him about it later.

"So you dare imply that this useless sword is meant for me?" Sesshomaru drawled, bristling as his aura pulsed around him.

"Ahah I've made you angry, have I? Time to take our leave!" The welder leaped overhead and slammed his hammer down on the ground, making it erupt in fire and resemble the ground where his home was.

"Kori, stay with InuYasha; we'll most likely meet again so when we do regroup with Sesshomaru and me." Getsu instructed, perking her ears.

Korihime nodded, smiling at her. "You got it; see you then." She waved as her sister winked before she spirited to her mate's side.

"Sesshomaru," Getsu landed nimbly next to him.

Sesshomaru nodded to her, taking her hand. "Let's go; there's no reason to stay since they escaped." He declared, leaping into the sky as they disappeared from sight.

::::::::xXx::::::::

"So did she finally turn on you?" He wondered.

She sighed, "No, she went to ask Kagome something; she'll find us." She looked at the fang on his hip, tilting her head to one side. "So your Tensaiga…" She began.

His gold eyes lowered to the katana he deemed useless, looking up at her. "What of it? You heard what that swordsmith said." He replied.

Getsu nodded and gestured he let her see it, taking the fang from his hand and drawing the blade from the black scabbard, tilting the blade up to see her reflection in the front of it.  
"Totosai did a good job welding this blade, given that it was forged from your father's fang." She said thoughtfully, sparing her reflection one last glance before she sheathed the katana and handed it back to him.

Sesshomaru slipped it back beneath his sash, huffing quietly. "I still do not see why he left me such a useless thing; if it doesn't cut then I can't use it." He grumbled.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, slipping her katana from her waist to lift it up a little, admiring the teal fabric on the hilt. "Just because the sword is considered useless because it can't cut down your enemy doesn't mean it isn't useful in some other aspect." She chided.

He cocked a brow at her words, seeing her admire her own heirloom fang. "I must admit I envy you for having been bestowed with a powerful sword, compared to the Tensaiga." He mused quietly.

Getsu blinked before she smiled slightly, slipping the katana back in place at her left hip. "It'll be the sword you want it to be, one day; you'll see." She promised in a quiet voice, looking away and at the fog surrounding them as they passed through a marsh.

Sesshomaru blinked at her words and huffed quietly, taking her hand and squeezing. "Since when did you have such faith in a man you once called a 'lecherous-jackass-bastard'?" He wondered with a hint of amusement in his voice.

She blushed and then shrugged, lifting her free hand to rub the back of her neck. "Since you stopped being those things. Everything that's happened up until this point has made you stronger than you were when we first met, as it's done the same to me and Korihime. I know one day when this is all over, we're going to see a bright new dawn." She mused quietly, smiling with a wistful look in her silver orbs.

He nodded, slightly awed by her faith in being able to see a bright day sometime in the future, his gold eyes softening as he lifted the hand holding hers to fold over her shoulders and squeeze gently. "Your antics and faith in things cease to amaze me sometimes." He mused.

Getsu blushed slightly and chuckled, smirking softly. "Maybe Kori and I beat you a little **_too_** hard the other day," she giggled.

Sesshomaru made a face similar to a pout, seeing her laugh. "Shush," he grumbled in defeat.

"Milord, so what kind of power does your heirloom fang have? Considering it was forged from one of your father's fangs, it must be really powerful!" Jaken asked, making both _daiyokai'_s ears twitch.

"Do you want to know, Jaken?" He wondered, sliding his arm from around her shoulders.

She blinked as she could hear a strange tone in his voice that sort of made her on edge, hearing the imp ramble and trip over his words before he drew the sword and swung it at the imp, slightly surprising her.

"I know he's annoying and all, but I don't think that was necessary…" She mused, ears twitching as she watched a violet glow come from the place he'd struck the imp, tilting her head to one side.

He smirked slightly. "Get up, Jaken; you're fine." He declared, slightly baffling her.

The imp blinked before he scrambled to his feet.

"Ah that's what you meant. Interesting." She said thoughtfully, tapping her chin with a knuckle.  
"Exactly; this useless Tensaiga can't kill." Sesshomaru grumbled as he returned the sword to its scabbard.

Getsu began to open her mouth to rebut before a bright glow came from the water near them, making her ears twitch again.

A roar sounded as a large green dragon rose up from the murky depths of the water, red eyes glowering down at the trio.  
"A dragon!" Jaken squeaked as he scrambled to hide behind the two _daiyokai_.

"Honestly," she sighed and prepared to draw her katana before it swung its coiling tail at where they stood; they leaped out of the way in time before she flew up at the dragon. "Leave it to an overgrown pest like you to ruin my day!" A torrent of blue fire screamed at the serpentine beast, a second torrent of the same fire lashing out.

The dragon roared in pain before it split apart in four pieces, the pieces dropping down into the water.

She landed nimbly on the strip of land, flexing her claws absently and spitting over her shoulder at the dead beast, sniffing. "He was too easy." She sighed, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono.

"Quick reflexes," he praised, walking past her to crouch and take one of the arms from the dragon, yanking it off the corpse and holding it aloft. "This dragon has given me a gift, so that I may claim what is rightfully mine." He mused.

"Tetsusaiga," she guessed quietly, frowning a little.

* * *

Korihime sweatdropped as the welder turned tail and ran. "That doesn't surprise me… He kinda smells like a coward, even though he's got a mouth on him." She muttered, sighing and folding her arms as she sidled up to Kagome's side, Shippo on her head.

_But still, from what he said about the requirements for someone to wield Tensaiga… So far, Sesshomaru doesn't have those qualities. I mean, sure, he's kinder to onee-chan because they're mates, and he's nice to me because he's my brother-in-law, but other than that…_ She sighed again.

The sound of clattering hooves sounded behind them, making her ears twitch as her sister's scent wafted into the air; she turned about sharply, eyes wide. "Getsu-onee," she declared, making the rest of the group turn about as well to see Totosai rushing forward at them, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

A familiar ball of energy chased the three-eyed cow he rode, crashing into the ground and sending both welder and cow flying forward.

Sesshomaru stood there, claws drawn after having lashed out at the cow and missing, Getsu behind him.

"Sesshomaru!" InuYasha spat his name angrily.

"Getsu," Korihime smiled, meeting her sister's silver eyes as she stepped away from her mate.

Getsu winked at her and smiled back.

* * *

A/N: yes i know, cliffhanger. maybe i'm getting too good at writing those.. /sighs  
anyway, so if you're wondering why i had the girls split up between Sesshomaru and InuYasha is because i felt Korihime could relate more to the humans of InuYasha's pack (as well as him, considering they're both the babies of their families) and Getsu... well, Getsu and Sesshomaru is almost like peanut butter and jelly. ;') just figured i would put that out.

other than that, i'm almost literally dying to write up the _Kanketsu-hen_ (Final Act) take for this fic. having an imaginative mind, i listen to music on my iPod and it's cool and ironic that sometimes i come up with little fight scenes in my head that i either exorcise by drawing them out (which sometimes they come out looking like shit compared to how they looked in my mind) or writing them out (which works much better than drawing them out).

ahah forgive my rambling. until next chap, see ya! and **please review!** xD


	17. Howls: Full Circle

A/N: where we last left off, Sesshomaru had taken a dragon's paw from a slain dragon (compliments of Getsu's wolf fire and temper) to go back and try to claim the Tetsusaiga from InuYasha, the latter having not yet learned the power of the Wind Scar. and that's where this chap lets off.

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 17: Howls: Full Circle_**

The hollow din of the dragon claws scraping against the blade of Tetsusaiga made her ears hurt.

"Onee-chan, how in hell did he get ahold of a damn dragon paw?" She looked at her sister who stood passively to the side, arms folded over her chest.

She kept her eyes on her mate, keeping a poker-face. "Recycling. A dragon's paw is practically the definition of 'tough skin'. The scales are hard as iron and usually put up a good fight against any demonic barrier given off by the dragon's enemy." _He did his homework_, she thought.

Both she-wolves blinked when he smirked darkly. "Uh-oh," they muttered in chorus.

"The Tetsusaiga is amazing; despite not being wielded by its master, its power is formidable. However it refused to show the Wind Scar to the one it has chosen as its master. Tetsusaiga, cut through the emptiness and reveal your power." Sesshomaru declared to a growling InuYasha.

Totosai gasped, "he must be able to see it, he must be able to see the Wind Scar!"

"The 'Wind Scar'?" Korihime, Getsu, and Kagome repeated in chorus.

The welder looked at the three females, "in a nutshell, the Wind Scar is the secret to Tetsusaiga's ultimate power. Slaying one hundred demons would be virtually impossible without being able to use the Wind Scar! Sesshomaru must be able to see it."

"Well if Sesshomaru can see it, can't you teach InuYasha to see it too?" Kagome asked.

"InuYasha can't be taught because he first has to see it within himself; if he can't do that, he'll die." Totosai answered.  
_Well this is just great_, Korihime mused.

The hollow din of the claws hitting the blade rang out, making both _Okami-yokai_'s ears hurt, as the _Inu-Daiyokai_ forced his little brother back and sent him flying.

"InuYasha!" The group of humans moved forward out of concern for their friend.

The _Okami-Daiyokai_ moved infront of them, katana drawn as the top of the hilt and the bottom end of the black scabbard connected horizontally, making a wide blue barrier form infront of the humans plus welder and two _yokai_.

"Getsu…" Kagome began in surprise.

"'_Divine Barricade_'; one of Mangetsuga's powers. It was our father's sword forged from our grandfather's own right fang centuries ago. Our father was to entrust it to his firstborn child when the child was old enough to leave our clan and create one of their own. Mangetsuga was the only heirloom we could salvage from the destruction of our home years ago, the destruction caused by the vile half-demon Naraku." Korihime explained, her arms folded over her chest.

"Father was reputed to be able to cast an oblong blue barrier that stretched for two hundred yards until he could mount an offense against the enemy he had been dragged into battle with, long before we were born. His actions aren't as legendary as the ones done by the Inu no Taisho, Sesshomaru and InuYasha's father, but he was respected and feared throughout the West by lesser demon clans."

Her silver eyes traveled to the silver of the katana's blade. "One day I'll also be able to cast the same oblong barrier as our father did centuries ago." Getsu declared quietly, her voice turned wistful as her father's kind face flashed in her mind.

"So you two also have unfinished business with Naraku." Miroku stated grimly.

Both sisters nodded once. "I saw him rip my father's heart out before my eyes at my own would-be wedding; Korihime watched our mother be devoured by his demon horde. If anyone has a grudge against that shit, it's us." Getsu growled frostily, her silver eyes glinting yellow for the briefest moment.

"Onee-chan," Korihime mused softly, catching the glint in her eyes. _Her inner demon almost wanted to come out for a second back there_, she thought.

Sesshomaru lunged one final time, sending InuYasha sprawling back.

"InuYasha!" Sango barked, lifting the large boomerang at her back and preparing to hurry away from the barrier's safety.

"Don't even think about it!" Korihime declared, grabbing her arm gently and holding her back from charging.

"K-Korihime," she began.

"Korihime's right, I'll finish Sesshomaru off and I'm gonna do it with the Tetsusaiga!" InuYasha hollered as he had gotten back up, baring his sword defensively.

"InuYasha," Sango began in surprise.  
Getsu nodded back at him, throwing a look at Sesshomaru and nodding slightly at him, smiling a little.

The brothers continued again until InuYasha's forehead met Sesshomaru's extended fist, the dragon paw clinging to the sword's blade; blood trickled down his forehead.

_He's defending Tetsusaiga from breaking!_ Korihime thought in awe as Getsu's eyes widened a little; poison came from his fist before the _hanyou_ was sent flying back again and he dove after him. "InuYasha!" Korihime barked.

"I see it!" InuYasha declared as he could see where to hit, catching the scent of the wind scraping; he tensed his stance and swung the fang.

A wide jet of yellow demonic energy screamed at the _Inu-Daiyokai_.

"**_Sesshomaru_**_!_" Getsu shouted, eyes widening as the dragon paw was knocked off his arm and she could sense his inner demon reaching the surface; she dropped the barrier to sprint to his side.

"**GETSU, NO**!" Miroku, Kagome and Korihime shouted in chorus.

The Tensaiga pulsed until a dark barrier formed around his pain-infused body as she threw her arms around him and held onto him, digging her claws into his stole and burying her face into his neck as the two _daiyokai_ disappeared without a trace.

:::::::xXx:::::::

They watched the swordsmith ride away into the dying afternoon.

"Kori-chan, where do you think Getsu-onee went?" Shippo asked of the wolf demon that was holding him in her arms.

Korihime shrugged, frowning a little. "I don't know; Sesshomaru took a bad hit, it might be a while before I pick up his scent, or my sister's." She looked up at the sky as if the clouds held an answer.

"You can stay with us." Kagome offered, seeing her ears twitch; she looked at her in surprise. "Y'know, until you find Getsu and Sesshomaru." She said with a kind smile.

Korihime quieted and looked at the faces of the monk and demon slayer, her blue eyes traveling to the _hanyou_ lastly. "Just for the night. I'll look for them tomorrow." She nodded.

InuYasha huffed and sent her a leery scowl. "Good, the less time we hafta endure your stink the better."

**_THWACK_**.

"Maybe in that short amount of time I can teach you some _manners_ regarding _women_." Korihime mused as she shouldered her long bow after beating him upside the head with it.

"Why you…" He growled as he made to get back up from the blow.

"**Sit boy**!" Kagome barked; the beads glowed around his neck before he fell face-first into the path.

Korihime laughed.  
_Onee-chan, I hope you're okay… I'll find you, honest_.

* * *

Her head was spinning.  
She opened her eyes to blearily look up at the trees overhead that basked in the scarlet and pink light of the dying sun.

'_Sesshomaru!_' Her inner demon growled in her ears, making her eyes sharpen alertly.

Getsu scrambled to her feet from lying on the ground, ignoring the slightly dizzy spin that threatened to make her teeter back, looking around alertly for her companion. "Sesshomaru?" She called, feeling her inner demon tug at her subconscious and lead her away from where she had fallen, quietly trekking through the knee-high bushes.

The aforementioned _Inu-Daiyokai_ lay against the roots of a tall oak, surprising her; she sighed in relief and hopped the last shrub to land nimbly a few feet away from him, moving closer.

His inner demon almost hummed as she could sense that it was close to becoming unleashed; she hesitated for a step before she fought the fear and moved to kneel at his side. "Sesshomaru," she lowered a hand to his shoulder, seeing his head turned to the left.

A feral snarl ripped from his throat as he reacted quicker than she'd have expected him to react given his current condition; he pinned her to the tree, making her yelp out of reflex, gold eyes turned red and his fangs drawn as he glowered into her surprised stare, his hand's claws digging into her right shoulder deep enough to draw blood.

She met his red gaze and listened as his beast thundered growls from deep within his chest, lifting her left hand to cup his left cheek gently, making him stiffen. "Sesshomaru, it's me." She whispered quietly, seeing his red eyes widen sharply.

The red color of his eyes slowly faded until they were that melted gold she was well-accustomed to seeing, his sharp teeth receding to look like his normal fangs; his inner beast retreated to the inner recesses of his mind, making her own beast whine softly for his beast.

"Getsu?" His voice was low and slightly raspy, making her ears twitch, looking at how deeply his claws had sunk into her shoulder before he let her go, seeing small specks of blood stain her kimono sleeve and his claws.

She rolled her shoulders softly, ignoring a wince, looking at him as he rocked back on his heels and lifted his clawed hand to rub his temple gingerly. "I'm not hurt, in case you're wondering." She mused quietly, seeing his ears twitch.

Sesshomaru opened one gold eye at her words before his eye shut and both opened stiffly. "I didn't mean to attack you like that. It was just…"

"Instinct." Getsu finished.

He nodded, "hn." He looked her over for a second before meeting her eyes. "Other than that, you're alright?" He asked.

She nodded back, smiling at him. "Peachy. This is a first, I've never seen you so concerned. Sure InuYasha didn't give you a concussion with that Wind Scar?" She reached to place her palm to his forehead.

He deadpanned, making her snicker. "Pretty sure. And we're mates if you recall; I told you long ago that I would protect you." He caught her hand as it fell from his forehead, squeezing gently as he noted her hand fit perfectly into his own.

Getsu blushed a little and her eyes softened as she leaned in to kiss him and curl her fingers in his hair. "I know, it's just a surprise to hear you worry about me." She said in an almost-purr.

Sesshomaru released her hand to gently pull her into his lap, her arms folding on the back of his neck as he smirked softly up at her, his hand traveling to the small of her back as his claws dug gently into the back of her obi sash. "You know _Inu-yokai_ are more possessive of their mates than _Okami_." He growled and lifted his hand from her waist to knot his fingers in her hair and crane her neck to be bared as he sank his teeth in gently, marking her.

She growled softly in submission and nodded, trembling as he licked her mark slowly and teasingly.  
"I know, that was the only reason we stayed with Koga for a week a few centuries back, because you couldn't handle having me so close to another male demon." She mewled as he bit her throat rather forcefully, making her growl again.

A chuckle rumbled in his chest at her mewling noise, digging his claws into her back. "I still don't trust that damn mongrel… Not with my princess." He groaned softly, making her shiver and drag her claws through his long hair.

_'My princess'… I like it_, she thought.

:::::::xXx:::::::

He stared at the tall bamboo bottle filled with water standing yards away from them.

His mate stirred a little, briefly catching the scent of human, before she seemed to brush it off and snuggle deeper into his side, sighing in her sleep.

He smiled down at the sleeping female, ears twitching as he watched their visitor leave a large leaf bearing a few mushrooms and a fried fish, tiptoeing back into the bushes; the smile he showed his mate dropped swiftly as he scowled after their visitor.

"You're wasting your time and generosity; I don't eat human food." He growled.

The human girl looked away as she kept quiet and continued on her way through the dark forest.

:::::::xXx:::::::

Stars shone brightly overhead.

Her blue eyes stared up at the bright lights and she sighed quietly; the humans had all fallen asleep huddled around the dying campfire, leaving her and the ever-vigilant _hanyou_ awake.

"So you're an orphan too." The usually gruff voice of said half-breed mused in a quiet tone, making her ears twitch, before she sensed him come sit down at her right side.

She nodded, keeping her eyes on the stars overhead. "Your mother passed when you were a pup, I would imagine." She saw the bristle in his figure and shrugged. "Sesshomaru mentioned it, a few decades after your father passed. My condolences." She smiled weakly.

InuYasha scoffed after a long pause of awkward silence, rubbing his nose gingerly with a clawed finger. "I kinda overheard you and your sister today; Naraku killed your parents. I gotta hand it to ya to have come so far even after your loss." He grumbled.

Korihime shrugged again and smiled wistfully. "We're only like this because we've been a pack for so long. Sesshomaru, Getsu, me…" Her eyes saddened a little at the mention of her sister.

"One thing still bugs me about you, though, aside from you being a full demon."

He ignored the eye-twitch at his insult towards her lineage, looking at her.  
"Why do you like humans so much? Both you and your sister don't mind them, or at least you don't mind these three," he jerked a thumb back at the slumbering members of his party. "And from what I've seen, most demons hate humans to the point where they consider them food. So what the hell's your deal?" His gold eyes peered into her blue stare. "It ain't because yer soft-hearted, is it?"

Korihime rolled her eyes and shoved him off playfully, snickering at the growl that came from the _hanyou_.  
"Our father had a lot of human servants in our home and he and our mother treated them with kindness, even though they lived to serve our family. So naturally Getsu and me were raised to be kind towards most humans, even though there are some that are evil or greedy. I guess it has to do with respect."

She shrugged innocently and reached up to pull on one of his white dog ears, making him yelp and then growl a curse.  
"But what's with you, actin' so curious? Is it that you _**like me**_ more than you think ya do, **_InuYasha_**_?_" She teased, grinning toothily.

InuYasha's face turned red and he snorted, shoving her off with another growl. "P-Piss off, why would I like you? Yer a full demon incase ya forgot! And don't do that to my ears or I swear I'll kill you with my own friggin' claws." He threatened lowly, a vein twitching on his brow as she ignored the death threat regarding his ears.

She giggled and smirked playfully, slugging his arm. "_Such manners!_ It's a wonder women fancy your brother more than you… It also explains why Kagome is the only girl to put up with a moronic half-breed like you." She saw his cheeks flare as red as the fire-rat _kosode_ he wore at the mention of the priestess.

He snarled and swung at her with his claws drawn, making her scoot away in mock-fear, his lip curled indignantly. "I don't give a rat's ass about my damn brother; he's in his own hell with your sister. And don't drag Kagome into this, wolf girl." He spat, cheeks still red.

She sighed and shook her head patiently, making a mental note to brain him in the morning before leaving. "What my sister and him do is none of my business. And why not, is it because you want her?" She wondered the last bit in a sing-song voice, her tone low.

InuYasha snarled again and lunged at her; she dodged effortlessly.

"Your reflexes are completely horrid, love." Korihime chided, sounding as if she was scolding a child, hopping out of the way as he sailed at her again, dying to get his hands around her throat.

"Keep blabberin' and I'll show you '_horrid_', you damn wench!" He began to lunge at her again.

**_THWACK_**.

Thin wisps of smoke rose up from the large bump on his head as he lay sprawled on the ground with the female wolf demon standing over him, her long bow slung over her shoulder leisurely.

"S-stupid wolf…" He grumbled into the dirt.

She sighed and stomped her heel onto his bump, making him yelp again, rubbing her heel into the bump absently. "Getsu-onee was right, your fighting style is utterly atrocious." She mused patiently.

InuYasha growled a curse from his face-plant into the ground.

Korihime smiled smugly.

* * *

She yawned and stretched out, blinking open her eyes to see he'd dozed off, surprising her; her eyes softened at the sight and she smiled, slipping free of his arm's grip on her ribs to stand to her feet and stretch her legs.

The scent of cooked fish caught her nose; she heard her stomach growl softly in response.

A fish that looked to be cooked and slightly burnt lay several yards away from her on a large leaf with a few mushrooms; she tilted her head to one side, her grumbling belly making her move closer to the offering.

She picked up the fish after noticing that the mushrooms weren't poisonous, taking a bite from the cooked meat and almost groaning at finally having something in her belly.

A rustling of the bushes infront of her pricked her ears; she looked up from taking a second bite, swallowing and blinking her silver eyes to see one brown eye meet her stare. A little girl that looked to be at least seven in human years stood there with a second leaf carrying thin sticks that smelled like medicinal herbs; she gasped at the sight of the awake _yokai_.

She put down the fish and nodded her head to her napping companion, looking at the girl. "It's okay, he's asleep. Are these for him?" She asked in a kind tone, seeing the child dip her head once in a nod, keeping silent.

"Thank you for offering to help. He's not scary like you'd think he is." She smiled gently, watching the girl set the leaf down next to the one that held the mushrooms and half-eaten fish; she looked at the tall stalk of bamboo that held water in it, her eyes softening. _This girl just wants to help_, she thought. "My name's Getsu. What's yours?" She asked quietly.

The girl remained silent, seeming sheepish at failing to give an answer; she tilted her head to one side curiously before she nodded and exhaled.  
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, it's alright." She assured warmly, meeting the girl's brown eye that was widened in surprise and flashing a kind grin.

The girl nodded and smiled back, albeit humbly.

"Your kindness towards humans never ceases to amaze me." He mused aloud, making both females blink.

She looked over at him to see him staring up into space. "Oh, you're back from the dead." She teased gently.

He huffed, glancing at the human girl and the second leaf she had brought. "I told you before that I don't need what you've brought." He said in a rather sharp tone.

The girl looked sad before the she-wolf scowled over at him, surprising her.

"Be nice, she just wants to help. It's not every day you'd see an injured dog lying around." She scolded.

A vein twitched on his brow at her insult infront of the girl. "I don't need help, especially from a human child." He growled.

She rolled her eyes.

"Such prideful words comin' from a dog licking his wounds." She sighed, ignoring the growl and death glare he sent her way, lifting a hand to tousle the girl's hair gently, surprising her again; she blinked before her eyes softened and she smiled. "Don't mind him, he's just grouchy. Hardly any sleep does that to 'im." She assured gently.

The girl nodded and smiled again, watching the kind she-wolf lift the water bottle and hand it to him despite the sore look he shot her with (which of course she ignored blissfully).

"Where did you get those bruises?" He asked, making her ears twitch as the girl looked at him again. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He added, averting his eyes from the girl's awed stare.

She looked at the girl and noticed the blotchy bruises on her face and arms and legs and bristled instinctively, feeling an out-of-character sense of protection for the child that wasn't hers. _Those damn humans, they never learn_, she thought irritably.

The girl watched him glance at her before she smiled widely, showing a missing baby tooth in her goofy smile; the wolf demon smiled softly at her.

"What're you smiling about? I simply asked a question: I don't care, I'm just curious." He snapped curtly.

**_THWACK_**.

A large bump swelled on his head; the girl blinked in confusion of what had just transpired.  
"What was that for?" He ground out between rubbing his head gingerly, scowling up at the perpetrator through one gold eye.

She scowled with her hands on her hips. "Don't be so mean to her, she's just concerned for yer well-being. Besides, a little kindness wouldn't kill you, now would it?" She scolded annoyedly.

He snorted and looked away. "Since when are you so endearing towards humans?" He growled under his breath.

"Since now; you're lucky Jaken isn't here otherwise I'd have beaten you into a damn coma with his staff." She huffed and folded her arms, sitting down near him.

The girl blinked again before she laughed at the sight of the pissy _Inu-Daiyokai_.

She cocked her head to one side before she smiled at her and chuckled.

He scoffed in further annoyance.

* * *

Korihime waved back at the group of humans plus _hanyou_, twin-tailed _neko_ and kitsune. "See you guys later!"

"Oi wolf girl, don't go gettin' yourself killed!" Said half-breed hollered, a playful smirk on the corner of his mouth.

"Piss off, half-breed, or I'll brain ya like I did last night!" She grinned, turning to spirit away in the direction her sister's scent led her.

It was a few hours before she came closer to the source of the scent, skidding to a halt as another scent wafted with the one she had been tracking.

Wolf demon.  
_Koga?_ She thought in surprise, smiling at the sudden stroke of luck before she sprinted in the direction of the new scent.

It had been a while since she'd seen that arrogant dog; a few centuries, to be exact.

Of course she doubted he had changed much; tanned, black-haired and wearing brown wolf pelts with chest armor, just as he'd looked when they first met that day in the snow.

It was a surprise to find that he was this far out, away from the caves he and his two packmates plus wolves had lived in when they first met all those years ago; something must've brought him out of hiding.

Whatever it was, she was glad to be able to see him again.

The stink of blood fumigated her nose, tainting the scent of wolf, as she neared the outskirts of a village with an irrigation creek that cut through the west end of the village.

Her feet came to a skidding halt and her nose sniffed the air; a growl rumbled in her throat at the stink of human blood.

A raid?

Her hands balled into fists; that idiot mongrel had a lot of explaining to do!

:::::::xXx::::::::

"Koga!"

The _Okami-yokai_'s ears twitched; he turned about to see a familiar cobalt-haired wolf princess.  
Her blue eyes that once were soft were now hard as sapphires.

"Korihime?" His face split into a grin at the sight of his technical-first crush. "It's been a long time, what brings you around here?" He asked, placing his hands at his sides.

Her arms folded across her chest. "It's a long story, but enough of that; what's with you? There's human blood stink all over here. And on top of that, why do you have Shikon Jewel shards in your limbs?" She replied curtly, making his ears twitch again.

Koga huffed and smirked rather proudly at the last bit, "Nothin' much, just expanding my horizons. As to the shards, well they make me stronger than when I was when we met a few centuries back. What's with your softness towards humans? I've never heard a wolf demon goin' soft on what most demons consider food." He explained, lifting an arm to flex his muscles.

Korihime scowled, unimpressed. "You were strong enough back then, idiot. And how I see humans is none of your business so keep your snout out of it." She growled.

He quirked a brow, lifting his hands in surrender. "Well excuse me for askin', your highness. Besides, don't you like me now that I'm stronger? I could take on anyone now, including your stuffy brother-in-law." He quipped.

She bristled. "Of course I don't, and you couldn't beat him even if you tried! Sesshomaru isn't as much of a bull-headed dog like you." She retorted hotly.

A growl formed in his throat. "Watch your mouth, princess; you're lucky I like you otherwise I'd kill you for that."

She sneered, the softness evaporated from her eyes. "Do you? Well here's a bit of news: I don't like you. And here's another thing: you're not _half_ the demon my father was." She snarled.

He bristled and flashed his teeth, the wolves that had torn the village to shreds having regrouped around him and were now snarling at the brazen she-wolf. "Take that back." He ordered angrily, the muscles in his limbs tensing for an attack.

She huffed and sent a thundering snarl at the wolves, making them whimper and growl in reluctant submission to her dominance. "Piss off, mongrel." She spat at his face.

Koga swung his fist at her face; she side-stepped effortlessly, ducking his next swing and slamming her boot into his ribs, sending him flying into the irrigation creek.

Getsu was going to have her head, but she was too pissed off right now to care about the later consequences.

* * *

A/N: sorry folks but i kind of lied. turns out there was only room for **ONE** action scene in this chap and it was the one in the anime episode. ^^; sorry! other than that, yes more smut xDD and we get to see Rin! *huggles Rin* she's so cute lol


	18. Howls: Knives and Blood

A/N: where we last left off, Sesshomaru and Getsu had been recuperating from the latest fight Sesshomaru and InuYasha had gotten into. separated from her pack, Korihime spent some time with InuYasha and his rag-tag crew of humans and bonding a little with them before tracking her sister's scent and then having a run-in/ squabble with Koga... and that's where this leaves off. enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 18: Howls: Knives and Blood_**

"…You ungrateful dog!" A rock was thrown at the imp's head, making him squawk and then fall off the back of the dragon.

Ah-Un lifted his heads at the sight of the two _daiyokai_ walking towards them in the meadow.

"So who's being ungrateful?" The female sighed, lifting Un's head and scritching his cheek gently, making the dragon head grumble in satisfaction and bump his head into her chest, making her giggle. "It's obviously not Ah-Un, right you two? You're not bein' ungrateful, no you're not~." She cooed affectionately.

He rolled his eyes at her baby-talk, scowling at the imp.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" He hopped back onto the dragon, standing on Ah's head. "Before I continue in your service, were you actually testing your sword on me!?"

"Geez, you're as annoying as ever! It's a wonder Ah-Un didn't eat you while we were gone." She deadpanned.

"Keep quiet you insolent mutt!" The imp squawked annoyedly.

**_THWACK_**.

"That is **my mate** you're addressing so I suggest you keep your mouth shut unless you want to die. Also, I expected a more _cheerful greeting_ than the _raucous interrogation_ I received, Jaken." He declared after beating the imp with the staff he held, placing it on the dragon's back.

A large bump swelled on his head; she sweatdropped and smiled over at him. "Methinks you're finally softening up after a few centuries, darling." She said cheekily.

He snorted. "Shut up." He ignored the snicker from her.

The scent of blood blew in with the soft breeze that ripped through the meadow, making both _daiyokai_ look up.  
"Well I'm glad to see things haven't changed," a sigh sounded before the sight of the younger _Okami-yokai_ came into view from the trees.

"Kori-chan!" Getsu balked at the sight of her sister bruised and cut up, her long hair slightly disheveled as there were a few rips in her kimono and scuffs on her boots; she sprinted to her side, throwing her arm over her shoulder and helping her to the dragon. "Korihime, what happened to you?" She asked alertly, helping her get onto the dragon's back and hearing her groan quietly.

"Koga, we… well, we had a bit of a disagreement." Korihime replied, looking at her sheepishly. "Onee-chan, I couldn't help it, he just pissed me off and… I'm sorry." She looked away shamefully.

Sesshomaru bristled at the sight of the injured she-wolf; even though Korihime was only his sister-in-law, she was still a member of his pack and anyone who hurt a member of his pack was either dead or going to die soon by his claws. "I told you I didn't trust him." He growled.

Getsu nodded a little and looked at her sister again. "There's nothing to apologize for, Kori-chan. You did what you had to do and I'm proud of you. Besides, I would imagine you sent him home with his tail between his legs." She reassured gently.

She cracked a smirk and huffed, wiping a smudge of dirt from her cheek marked with a silver star. "In a manner of speaking; I **did** kick his ass." She mused.

She chuckled, looking at her mate and noting that there was a proud glint in his gold eyes; she smiled, her ears twitching as another breeze stole past them.

Her silver eyes widened as his gold eyes sharpened.  
_Wolf stink_… _and human blood_.

"I know this scent," he muttered, indicating the blood.  
She nodded, looking at her sister. "Kori, stay with Ah-Un." She instructed quietly, following him as he took off into the forest.

She watched them leave and then sighed as she settled onto the dragon's back. "Am I glad to see you, Ah-Un." She mused.

The dragon grumbled in response, sounding happy; she smiled softly.

:::::::xXx:::::::

The stink of death reeked from the little girl.

She wrinkled her nose and growled at the faint scent of wolf that hung in the air, glaring at the trees. "I swear I'm going to kill him." She grumbled, watching him walk forward before she followed.

The fact that Korihime had fought with that arrogant mongrel was bad enough… but the new fact that he had his wolves kill a harmless girl just plainly pissed her off.

_Poor thing, she was probably trying to find Sesshomaru when the wolves attacked her_, she thought, frowning.

The sound of Tensaiga leaving its scabbard perked her ears, jarring her from her thoughts; she looked up at him and then at the drawn fang of Heaven, seeing it pulsate.

"You're not serious…" She began softly in surprise.

"I can see them; minions from the netherworld… I'll do another test, using the Tensaiga." He ignored her, his gold eyes sharpening.

"Another test!?" The imp blanched.

Sesshomaru swung the fang down on the supposed-minions that seemed to surround the girl's body, kneeling to lift the girl into the crook of his arm.

Getsu's eyes widened as her brow twitched before she opened both brown eyes up at the _Inu-Daiyokai_. "It worked." She said softly in awe, feeling relieved that the girl had been saved.

He set the girl down, turning to walk away from the trio.

She tilted her head to one side, following to sidle up to his left side. "Something wrong?" She wondered.

"I didn't bring her back for you, y'know. I was just testing Tensaiga." He informed, perking her ears.

She nodded and sighed, folding her arms behind her head. "I knew that already, you don't need to point it out. But I'm glad you brought her back; she didn't deserve to die like that." She replied quietly, lowering her gaze.

He glanced at her before huffing quietly. "You catch on quick, as usual." He mused.

The sound of smaller feet trotting after them made their ears twitch before a hand tugged on the bottom hem of her obi; she blinked and stopped, looking to see the girl had followed them.

"Oh, you're better!" She smiled and crouched to eye-level, meeting her brown eyes. "I'm glad to see you're up and running."

The girl nodded, smiling back. "Thank you for bringing me back to life." She declared, her words for the stoic _Inu-Daiyokai_.

He scoffed quietly. "Come along, Getsu; knowing your sister, she's probably bored out of her mind right now." He beckoned, continuing to walk.

She stuck her tongue out at him, straightening and letting the girl cling to her right sleeve. "You never told me your name." She mused to the child.

"Oh… Um, I don't remember my name." She mumbled humbly, making her ears twitch.

"Aww, hmm well we'll just have to give you a new one, then! Now let's see, what kind of name should we give you…?" Getsu tapped her chin with a finger thoughtfully, scrunching up her face and earning a giggle from her new friend.

"Rin." Sesshomaru looked back at her silver eyes that blinked in confusion. "Her name is 'Rin'." He stated, turning back.

She nodded and looked at the girl, "well how about it; do you like it, Rin?" She asked kindly.

"Rin is so pretty, I love it!" The human child beamed.

She chuckled, "then 'Rin' it is!" She said lightly.

_Oh great, __**another**__ female_, Sesshomaru inwardly groaned and slapped his forehead. _Stupid insolent curiosity_…

* * *

"Look, Master Jaken, a slain demon, just as Lord Sesshomaru said it would be here!" The girl chirped, looking up at the blue-haired female that came to a calmer halt at her left side. "Kori-onee, could you also tell there would be a demon here like Lord Sesshomaru could tell?" She asked innocently.

Korihime nodded, smiling down at her and tousling her brown hair. "'Course, this keen nose picks up anythin'! I'm not a wolf demon princess for no reason!" She puffed out her chest proudly and did the same to her cheeks, scrunching up her face.

Rin giggled.

"But who could've done this?" Jaken rambled confusedly, making both females look at him and blink simultaneously.

"InuYasha." Sesshomaru answered solemnly as he and Getsu came forward from the fog with the latter's arms folded behind her head leisurely. "He did this, although I doubt he was able to escape unscathed."

Getsu sniffed the air and her lip curled. "There's something off about his scent, though. It smells strange…" She mused thoughtfully, tapping her chin with a clawed index finger, her ears twitching as he stepped away from her side to move closer to the dead demon and lift the head by one of the beige horns protruding from its head.

A surprised scream came from the girl, making the other two females' ears twitch and they cringed at the sudden noise.

"Sesshomaru, you're taking the head?" His mate wondered in confusion as he carried it over his shoulder and walked ahead of them further into the fog.

"Yes, now come along. And Rin, stop that noise." He answered casually over his shoulder.

The girl snapped to quickly, silencing. "Yes, milord!" She piped up.

The sisters shared a look before the younger sighed and scooped up the girl to give her a piggy-back ride. "C'mon, Rin," she smiled lightly at her.

The older trotted forward to sidle up to his left side, crossing her arms in the sleeves of her kimono top again. "You do realize the demon you're carrying the head of broke Tetsusaiga's blade? And another thing, your brother's scent didn't smell like that of a half-breed…"

"It smelled of full-demon, just like mine and my father's. I'm aware of that." He glanced at her and threw her a teasing smirk. "Your keen nose is starting to falter, I'd suggest you keep up with mine." He mused.

She blushed shyly and then huffed, looking away. "Piss off, idiot dog." She grumbled.

He chuckled quietly at easily stumping her and making her look cute in one fell swoop: he was getting better at doing that lately.

* * *

A/N: Sesshomaru has taken the remains of the slain Goshinki from his death site.. but for what reason? what use does he have for a dead demon's head, a demon that was an incarnation of Naraku no less? you'll have to find that out in the next chapter of '_Watch the Throne_'.

until next chap, see ya!


	19. Moons: You, Me, Them

A/N: where we last left off, Sesshomaru, Getsu and their pack had come across the corpse of a demon that was slain by InuYasha. taking the head as a "souvenir", Sesshomaru and Getsu were left with the current conundrum: how did InuYasha slay the demon if not by the power of Tetsusaiga? and what's with this change in his scent? it smells like... **full demon**?

both of those answers are given in this chap, and then some, so enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 19: Moons: You, Me, Them**_

"So why did you decide to come to this place?" She wondered aloud, wrinkled nose covered by the right sleeve of her kimono top, as she scowled at the murky swamp he was leading the way through that was bathed in the blood-orange color of sunset.

Her sister and the girl had stayed back, the former being deemed the 'pup-sitter' unofficially by her mate.

"We're almost there." He replied calmly, looking at her.

Her lip curled at the stink of the dead demon bones here or there in the water that looked more like acid than swamp water, nodding. "Okay, but if anything attacks us, I'm feeding Jaken to it." She replied, ignoring the squawked retort from the aforementioned imp.

:::::::xXx:::::::

She bristled and wanted to growl.

He sent her a look, quieting her instinctive urge, looking at the felled imp on the dirt floor of the hut.

_So I would imagine Kaijinbo finished the sword_, she mused, tapping her chin with a finger. _But judging from Jaken looking like this, it seems either he struck out at him in rage or the sword possessed the swordsmith_. She watched him revive the imp, sheathing the Tensaiga. "Do we go after him?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Not yet." He replied.

:::::::xXx:::::::

"Kori-onee, where do you think Lord Sesshomaru and Getsu-onee have gone?" The girl asked as her babysitter tossed a twig to the burning embers of the fire.

She sighed and then shrugged, "not sure, Rin. But they'll be back soon, knowing them. Getsu-onee doesn't like to leave for a long amount of time." She assured the girl, flashing a light smile.

She nodded, glad to know that at least the kind female _daiyokai _ was more considerate.

"Damn that stupid Kaijinbo! Where on earth could he have gone with that sword?" The annoying voice of the imp spoke from the fog that brought four figures forth from the darkness.

"Would you stop whining? Good grief, you're worse than a groveling cub." The impatient-toned voice of the _Okami-Daiyokai_ snapped with an exasperated sigh.

"Give it a rest, princess, you'll be arguing with him all night if you keep it up." The ever-calm sigh of the _Inu-Daiyokai_ advised.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Getsu-onee, you're back!" Rin beamed as she hopped to her feet to go greet the couple.

Korihime smiled in slight elation at being relieved of her babysitting duties, straightening nimbly. "We were just talking about you…" She began.

"Korihime, Rin, _**don't move**__._" Sesshomaru ordered sharply, making both females freeze in place, the former's blue eyes glancing from him to her bow and arrows she left on the ground.

Getsu's eyes sharpened as she caught the stink of Naraku coming from the trees, bristling at the scent and growling.

He flew past the trio of females at the thin trees in the edge of the wood, slicing at them with his claws effortlessly; a blur of maroon and lilac leaped out from their hiding place before landing before him.

A female demon stood yards infront of him, dressed in a maroon and violet striped kimono with brown hair pulled up and red eyes.

Rin scrambled behind Korihime as Getsu cracked her knuckles and moved to stand defensively infront of the two females of her pack. "Your stink reeks of that half-demon. Explain yourself now." Getsu ordered coldly as Korihime's claws grew instinctively and she bristled.

"So you must be InuYasha's older brother, Sesshomaru; and let me guess, these two bitches of yours are the last surviving members of the Western Wolf Clan, Korihime and Getsuei. You're very clever." The female _yokai_ replied smoothly, her right hand she'd drawn across her chest holding onto a black fan.

"I am Kagura, the Wind Sorceress; an incarnation of Naraku." She introduced calmly.

"'Incarnation'?" Sesshomaru repeated softly.

"Right; Sesshomaru, the fangs you delivered to Kaijinbo to forge a sword belonged to another incarnation of Naraku's by the name of Goshinki." Kagura informed.

Sesshomaru sort of scoffed. "That's all very interesting, but you sought me out just to tell me this?"

She smirked, the fan spreading with a flick of the wrist and covering the bottom half of her face. "Can't you smell it? Tokijin reeks of Goshinki's aura, it's closer than you think." The wind howled softly and picked up around them as she lifted up into the air riding a giant white feather, looking back at the trio of _yokai_, particularly at the silver-haired male. "You are the sword's rightful owner!" She added before taking off into the darkness.

Both females scoffed in unison once she left.

"Rin, you can move now." He mused to the girl.  
She nodded and sighed as she stretched her arms, flopping down into the grass with a giggle.

"Well _**that**_ was lively! She's lucky I didn't have my bow on hand otherwise I'd have shot an arrow into her forehead." The cobalt-haired female huffed, folding her arms over her chest.

The ebony-haired _daiyokai_ snorted, glaring up at the velvet sky. "Get in line, I'm the oldest; and it would have been my pleasure to burn her alive with my wolf fire." She growled.

He rolled his eyes, contemplating quieting her but he thought better and kept his mouth shut: he would rather be purified by a thousand sacred arrows than be on the receiving end of her wrath.

* * *

Thunder growled loudly overhead.

"Talk about a dramatic entrance," she muttered under her breath.

He glanced at her. "You're not still sore about the other night are you?" He cocked a brow.

She huffed and shook her head, patting the head of Ah gently. "Nope." She replied calmly, smiling when the dragon chirped at her kind touch.

He made a mental note not to bug her about that topic and sighed, rolling his eyes. "If you say so." He mused, the dragon shooting down a bolt of lightning at the evil sword standing upright with the blade stuck in the ground, before he tousled her hair affectionately and then leaped down to land near the small crater the lightning bolt had made.

"Jaken, take the reins." She tossed the reins at the imp before leaping after him, landing nimbly a few feet away from the _hanyou_'s pack of humans and the visiting welder.

"Getsu!" The group of humans greeted her in slight surprise as the _neko_ mewed and the kitsune beamed; she waved lightly, gravitating to their side.

"I didn't figure we'd run into you lot today. Otherwise I'd have brought Kori," she returned calmly, accepting the warm hug from the kitsune and hugging back before letting him move to sit on her shoulder.

"Getsu-onee, where is Kori-chan? Shouldn't she be here too?" The kitsune asked, seeming concerned for the second kind _Okami-yokai_ he considered an older-sister figure.

Getsu smiled up at him, ruffling his hair. "It's a long story, kit." She offered sheepishly.

"Yeah, but…" Shippo began with a pout.

"So what the hell're **_you_** doin' here, Sesshomaru?" InuYasha's gruff voice interjected in the kitsune's interrogation of the female _daiyokai_, the question steered at his older brother.

"I'd ask the same of you. I simply came here to pick up the sword you've been sniffing around; apparently the demon from whose fangs the sword was forged held a large amount of bitterness and anger towards the idiot half-breed that destroyed it. It desired revenge even after the remains were used to forge the sword." Sesshomaru explained coolly, earning an eye-roll from his female counterpart.

"**What**!?" His brother spat in surprise.

"How does he know the Tokijin was created from Goshinki's fangs?" The demon slayer wondered softly.

"So that means you…" The monk began.

"I was the one who commissioned Kaijinbo to make this sword." He finished in the same cool tone.

She sighed and nodded when she felt a few looks from the human party. "Yeah he did. And from what we've gathered, this Goshinki was an incarnation of Naraku. Which reminds me, great job killing the incarnation." She added to the _hanyou_ with a smirk, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono habitually.

"Sesshomaru, you must not touch Tokijin! Even you would be possessed by the evil aura that surrounds the blade! Heed my warning, I implore you," the welder Totosai barked gravely, making the female _daiyokai_'s ears twitch.

_I'd have figured there was a catch to this sword; it's a wonder Kaijinbo is dead, he probably couldn't control the evil that's reeking off his masterpiece_, she thought grimly, her lip curling a little.

He walked towards the sword stuck in the ground, lifting it up by the hilt and holding it aloft. "Pathetic fool, just who do you take me for?" He drawled calmly, slightly smirking.

Her eyes sharpened as she both watched and sensed the evil aura dissipating from the sword; _the aura is practically nonexistent_, she thought in slight awe before she huffed and smirked to herself. _Your power ceases to amaze me, Sesshomaru_.

"It seems the Tokijin has chosen me as its master." His gold eyes met his little brother's likewise-gold eyes. "Draw your sword, InuYasha; there's something I wish to verify."

_This doesn't smell like such a good idea_, she thought. "Honestly, I can really tell you two are related!" She declared aloud.

He huffed. "Don't start with that again; and keep out of the way, Getsu." He added an order, making her ears twitch.

She huffed back and grumbled a curse, watching as the two brothers began fighting.

This fight, compared to the previous one, was different; it smelled different, to begin with, and the odds weren't as great as they were in the previous fight; whereas Sesshomaru had used a dragon's paw from the unfortunate beast she had slain in her irritation, he now was on even –if not slightly uneven—par with InuYasha in the form of wielding a powerful demon sword.

And there was something else that was different about this fight as well… either her eyes were deceiving her or she was zapped with the lightning from Ah-Un, but she could swear that InuYasha was having trouble lifting Tetsusaiga from the ground.

"Kagome, can I ask you something?" She asked quietly, her elbow nudging the aforementioned priestess's arm.

Her brown eyes looked at the pensive _daiyokai_. "What is it?"

"InuYasha's Tetsusaiga is too heavy for him to wield."  
The girl balked at her dead-on realization; her silver eyes turned to her brown orbs. "Did Totosai do something to the fang?" She asked slowly.

"Your eyes are very sharp, Lady Getsuei. I did indeed do something, I took a fang from InuYasha's mouth and used it to repair the broken Tetsusaiga." The aforementioned welder explained, making her ears twitch.

She nodded, looking at the battle and her brow furrowed. "I had a feeling that's what happened. But if that's the case, and InuYasha hasn't had time to train with his newly reforged sword... this isn't going to end well." She mused softly.

_If he can't wield Tetsusaiga as well as he used to, coupled with this change in his scent, his demon blood will try to claim his soul: that's the only inevitable outcome of this situation_, she inwardly deduced, watching the two brothers battle, the fine hairs on her arms and neck standing on end each time she felt Tokijin's aura pulse when their blades clashed.

Sesshomaru punted Tetsusaiga from his hands, the sheer aura that pulsed from Tokijin sending his little brother flying back with a yelp of pain; the great fang flew in the air and then landed in the ground hilt-up, the demonic power from the sword diminishing until it looked like the rusted and beaten-up form of an old katana.

InuYasha growled and rubbed his cheek gingerly, shuffling to his feet.

"Idiot, grab your sword, now!" Getsu barked, perking up as he charged blindly at the older of the two brothers, weaponless. "InuYasha!"

The _Inu-Daiyokai_ lifted the Tokijin at his charging brother; the aura pulsed and looked red.

"Sesshomaru, don't do it!" She cried; the sheer aura of the demon sword sent him flying back again, his blood flying. "Damn it all…" She began to run to his defense. _I can't believe I'm doing this!_ She thought.

"Stay where you are, Getsu. This will be over soon." Sesshomaru growled at her, perking her ears.

Getsu glared at him and wordlessly obeyed, her claws digging crescents into her palms as her hands balled into fists.

"I've seen all that I need to see." He mused coldly before he took off at a sprint towards his little brother. "Die."

"Look out, InuYasha!" The monk barked.

That same stink rose into the air, practically pulsating from the injured and crouching _hanyou_ merely several hundred yards away from her oncoming mate.

_That scent!_ He thought in surprise, his gold eyes sharpening.

"InuYasha… his demon blood has taken over!" She breathed in realization, swearing under her breath before she flew forward, katana flying from the scabbard.

"Getsu-onee come back!" The kitsune called.

A wide blue barrier that resembled a circle formed infront of the charging _Inu-Daiyokai_, making him skid to a halt just short of crashing into his companion; she stood tall infront of him, her back to the transformed _hanyou_, katana and scabbard connecting at the hilt and bottom tip to form the barrier.

_So this is a complete 'Divine Barricade'_, he thought, lowering the sword in his hand as he locked stares with her stubborn silver eyes; even in anger he couldn't bring himself to cut her down or strike her. It wasn't what he was raised with when it came to women.

"Kagome, take him and go. **Now**." Getsu ordered sharply, sparing a glance back at the gathered group of humans plus welder, kitsune and twin-tailed _neko_.

Kagome nodded and they did as told, hurrying away from the field with an unconscious _hanyou_.

Sesshomaru watched the barrier fade as she broke the connection between the katana and its scabbard, dropping his arm. "Explain yourself." He ordered, his tone stiff as she sheathed her heirloom fang quietly and turned her back on him to return to where they had left her sister and the child.

"Neither of us knows how strong InuYasha can be when his demon blood kicks into overdrive, so I stepped in to prevent your little experiment from backfiring and getting you critically injured again." She reasoned as he followed in step until he was at her left side, her arms crossing in the sleeves of her kimono again.

He snorted. "What happened to having faith?" He demanded irritably, slipping the demon sword Tokijin into the yellow and blue sash at his waist.

She closed her eyes serenely, shrugging. "I was hoping to hear a '_thank you, you're such a brilliant mate, my princess_' sort of response; not a growl of disgruntlement." She replied coolly.

Another snort. "Don't flatter yourself; I was close to running you through when you stopped me so spontaneously." He growled.

Getsu looked up at him as they passed through the trees, the darkness of the wood consuming them. "So why didn't you?" She challenged.

Sesshomaru shook his head softly as the idea of seeing her blood spilled made him cringe; he pulled her to his chest, leaning her against a tree and digging his claws into the bark as he leaned onto her, towering over her petite height.

"Because the sight of your blood being spilled makes my own blood boil. I'd be dishonoring not only your father's last wish and your life but I'd be completely disgusted with myself if I ever caused you that sort of pain. The little 'reunions' between InuYasha and myself are matters of my own, I do not want to drag you into them… Not if it puts your safety on the line." He explained lowly, feeling her curl her fingers in his silver hair as he stared down at her slightly awed silver orbs that softened in realization.

She nodded slightly, lifting her free hand to trace a claw along one of the maroon streaks on his right cheekbone.

"You really are kind, despite everything everyone else says about you. But I want to fight; I was raised to fight to protect what I love most, what I honor most… And right now, that's you. And Korihime, and Rin… and maybe even Jaken." She chuckled weakly at the mention of the imp, meeting his melting gold orbs. "I guess we're one in the same when it comes to looking out for each other, huh?" She mused.

He sighed rather shakily and dipped his head in a single nod, kissing her forehead tenderly before he rested his cheek against the left side of her head. "It appears so. Even though I may be sounding highly hypocritical by saying this, when you fight, it's almost as if you're dancing… and you're dancing for me." He mused aloud, seeing her ears twitch.

Blush stained her cheeks a reddish pink he found he liked seeing on her pretty face before she smacked his chest chidingly, hearing a rumbling chuckle come from him as he moved away a little from her.

"S-shut up, just because I helped you escape death doesn't mean you're permitted to try and make me swoon, dog breath." She stammered indignantly, her cheeks flaring dark red as her mind went to all sorts of unmentionable places, distinctly hearing her inner beast snickering at her flustered self.

He smirked widely, recalling that day he'd gone to gloat after their first sparring match and watched her bump her head on a branch in the tree she'd hidden in. "Temper, temper. We can't having the Lady of the West acting like a callous teenage boy upon receiving a compliment from the man she loves." He mused smugly.

Her cheeks flared a scarlet color and she spluttered a huff, jerking her stare away as she leaned back into the tree and folded her arms across her chest. "Piss off, ice king; I do what I please." She growled.

Sesshomaru shook his head softly and smirked again, relishing her currently flustered and highly attractive state, leaning in to cage her against the tree, tipping her chin up between his thumb and index finger. "That much is obvious; it would take a lifetime to be able to tame a wolf demon as feisty and beautiful as you, my princess." He teased, his mouth hovering mere centimeters away from hers, making her shiver and then blush more.

Getsu growled softly as her beast hummed in satisfaction, leaning up on her tiptoes to kiss him hard, her arms sliding to fold on the back of his neck, pulling his body to hers. "Keep talking and I'll show you who's the alpha." She purred.

His eyes glinted red as he saw hers glint yellow before he leaned in and pressed her back closer into the tree bark, kissing her greedily and growling softly as she fought his conquest for dominance with an equally-insistent resistance, her claws digging into his scalp.

If this was how he was going to react whenever she stopped a death match between him and his brother, then she had to do it more often.

* * *

A/N: the question is up to you guys: do you think they did it again or just made out~? xD

until next chap, see ya!

** _**main songs for this chap**__: **_  
01. "**The Wolf**" by Fever Ray  
02. "**Moment 4 Life (ft. Drake)**" by Nicki Minaj


	20. Moths Chasing Cats Chasing Goblins

A/N: not much to put, so just enjoy the chap! ;D

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 20: Moths Chasing Cats Chasing Goblins_**

"So why did you decide to pull me off babysitting duty?" She wondered as she walked beside her sister, bow and quiver slung over her right shoulder casually as her blue eyes held curiosity as well as confusion.

She came to a halt short of the first breaking of the trees that gave way to a dried up valley, looking at her and smiling. "I need backup. Besides, we've both been dying for a fight, you know as well as I." She explained.

She huffed and then smirked widely, nodding. "Sounds like a brilliant excuse to tell _fluffy_." She mused lightly.

Seeing as they were moreso lenient towards his little brother than he was, Sesshomaru had sent both Korihime and Getsu to scout the area for any sign of said _hanyou_ and his friends.

And considering both sisters had keener noses compared to his own, they were already closing in on the location of his brother.

Getsu felt a breeze blow past them as they looked out at the valley that led to a desolate-looking village; her ears twitched as she could catch the scent of the girls and kitsune and _neko_, and judging by their location, she had to guess they were in the village.

But something was off, especially regarding the two males of the group; she bristled slightly.

"Kori, get ready. There's something wrong here." She mused quietly.

Korihime nodded as she sniffed the air and her lip curled. "You're right, and it smells like a moth demon. Let's go." She took off towards the village at a sprint.  
Getsu flew after her until they were side-by-side.

Would InuYasha have controlled his demon blood by this point? Did he manage to get any stronger? And furthermore, why did something feel off about his current whereabouts?

They reached the outskirts of the village, at this point slightly on edge beneath the surface even though they kept a blank-faced façade ontop of the slightly paranoid feeling both sisters harbored.

The stink of jeering and partying men registered soon, making the girls reach for their respective choice of weaponry, Korihime an arrow for her bow and Getsu the hilt of her Mangetsuga.

Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara's scents were mixed in with the stink of the men, bandits if they had to guess, further fueling the off feeling the sisters had about the situation.

Korihime saw her sister nod slightly before she aimed the arrow at a distracted bandit's forehead as he was busy talking to another bandit at his left, her nose once again being assailed with the stink of moth demon: she fired.

The target fell back-first onto the ground, baffling his companions, before they registered the arrow that had been shot at his forehead, having hit him right between the eyes.

The priestess and demon slayer perked up in surprise at the sight, both girls looking past the throng of bandits to the perpetrator.

"Oops! I seem to have missed; I was aiming for the cross-dressing bastard to his right. Damn my aim is horrid!" The cobalt-haired princess sighed dramatically as she and her sister walked forward boldly, the latter's katana hanging calmly at her right side.

"Oi, boss, what should we do with these two? They're both really pretty!" One of the bandits asked hopefully, looking at said 'boss', a demon with wavy brown hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a violet coat over his dark garb with red lipstick on his mouth.

The moth demon let his eyes roll down one she-wolf's body to the second one before he seemed to hum in satisfaction at deeming them beautiful. "Bring them to me; I'll eat them first before these two lovely creatures." He ordered smoothly.

"Kori, take the bandits; I've got Mr. Girly-Man," she whispered, seeing her nod and wink before her sister lunged at the nearest man, the toe of her right boot catching on his throat and sending him flying; she leaped out of the ensuing fray to lung at the moth demon.

A loud '_klang_' rang out as her katana's blade met the handle of a large hammer he bared defensively, a sneer on his lips that was meant to bring some emotion into her emotionless pretty face.

"You move quick, I had been wondering if you weren't going to scream like a girl and cower behind your friends." She mused lowly, shoving her weight against the blade until he forced her away; she flicked her wrist and glared at him with steely silver eyes. "Lesser demon kind like **you** make me **sick**." She spat at him as he straightened his posture.

He laughed blackly, gripping the handle of the large hammer in one hand. "Cruel words coming from a beautiful wolf demon like yourself. Tell me, what name shall I remember before I devour your body and demonic powers?" His beady eyes glinted malevolently.

She bared her teeth defensively, swinging her blade from the right sharply; a wide jet of violet energy screamed at him, sending him flying. "Getsu, Lady of the West and _Okami-Daiyokai_ of the Western Wolf Clan." She introduced frostily, watching him stiffly get to his feet, her aura pulsating until it looked lilac as it emanated around her petite form. "And do I get to know the name of the disgusting insect I'm going to kill?" She wondered as she flicked her wrist to the side before holding onto the hilt with both hands.

"Forgive my manners, my lady! I am Gatenmaru." He grunted and slammed the hammer down on the ground, making a large fissure erupt and sail at her.

She leaped out of the way, huffing and sheathing her katana. "Oh, you're serious!" She drawled, dropping down onto the ground and swinging her fist out at him, sending a torrent of blue fire at his chest.

Gatenmaru dodged and then snarled as he leaped at her, hammer swinging; she bobbed and weaved around his blows, placing a hand on the blunt side of the hammer and propelling herself forward, right foot on fire as it crashed right into his left jaw, nearly twisting his neck as he was sent sprawling back from her sharp kick.

Getsu snarled and bared her teeth as she cracked her knuckles, her aura still visible and the same lilac color as it flowed around her petite form. "Is that all you got? But then again, what can I expect from a vulgar insect demon I should've crushed on first sight?" She sneered frostily.

He spat out a tooth from the blow she'd delivered, glaring at her with renewed anger. "You stupid whore, you ruined my face!" He snarled as he opened his mouth wide and shot a thick string of webbing at her.

She hopped out of the way, sprinting for him and continuing to dodge the web-shots with ease, skidding into the ground briefly to send another torrent of blue fire at him, watching the fire divert his attention from trying to entrap her in the webbing; she grunted and hopped into the air to give herself a better shot, her left fist crashing into his nose and sending blood gushing out from the broken nasal cavity.

He tried to grapple for her wrist before she slipped away and hopped back to land nimbly on her feet, groaning and snarling curses in pain.

She panted, bristling like mad despite the physical exertion on her body, lifting a hand up to gesture he come at her.

He wiped the blood from his nose, his own aura pulsing until he shot a large and thicker stream of webbing at her; she leaped out of the way, twisting and weaving around the various web-shots that seemed to be deadlier than before, sending bouts of fire at him to which he either dodged or blocked with his hammer.

Getsu grunted and lunged when she thought she had an opening, right fist extended to crash into his chin; one of the web-shots caught her wrist, surprising her before she growled in pain at the stinging feeling of the poison that seeped into her skin from the rendered-flimsy fabric of her black wrist guard. She drew back, making the webbing stretch like rubber, a second growl uttered between her fangs in disgust.

Gatenmaru cackled as he spun the direct line of the webbing between the fingers of his right hand like a cat's cradle string, drawing closer to the struggling she-wolf. "You put up a good fight, my lady. But I'm afraid the fight will have to be drawn to a close here and now. Farewell." He sneered as he yanked on the webbing to bring her closer.

Her inner demon snarled in her ears as she fought the pain and tried to yank free, the poison digging deeper into her flesh like a hot knife. "Go to hell." Her left hand was aflame as it severed the webbing and set her free; she drew back, ignoring the pain radiating up and down her right arm, feeling the flesh begin to regenerate. "And rot!" Her right foot lifted high to send a spout of blue fire at his face, sending him flying.

A loud snarl sounded behind her, making her look over her shoulder to see her sister yanking the sharp end of a dagger out of her right shoulder, blood trickling down her arm from the wound.

The unfortunate bandit that had knifed her roared a battle cry as he flew at her when he thought she was distracted; a wave of ice screamed at him, freezing him on contact and surprising the group she had been protecting.

She cracked her knuckles and huffed, smirking. "My name doesn't mean 'Ice Princess' for no damn reason. She mused; she looked back at her sister and winked, the smirk remaining.

Gatenmaru roared as he flew at the distracted _daiyokai_.

"Onee-chan, look out!" Korihime shouted.

The sound of someone ripping through webbing made the enraged demon skid to a halt as both sisters looked at the cocoon of moth webbing held between two dead trees as a pale pink light shone out from the web's encasing.

The stink of transformed-_hanyou_ blood assailed their noses.

"InuYasha." Getsu whispered.

::::::::xXx:::::::::

Korihime stood with her arms out infront of the humans, baring her teeth at him and bristling.

InuYasha thundered a snarl at the insolent female, blood-stained claws bared like his teeth.

"Korihime, get away from him!" Sango barked.

"I know you can hear me, you idiot mutt. Snap out of it or I'm going to beat you into your own grave." She threatened coldly, ignoring the demon slayer's words.

"InuYasha, take the Tetsusaiga; return to your old self!" Kagome cried as she hurried closer.

"Kagome stay away!" Korihime snapped at her, shooting her a look.

His familiar scent blew in the soft breeze that came in, making both _yokai_ sisters perk up; the _hanyou_ snapped to, growling and hopping away from the female, landing crouched on his heels as he snarled at the approaching _Inu-Daiyokai_.

"Sesshomaru." Getsu sighed in relief.

"Korihime, move away from him. **Now**." Sesshomaru ordered sharply of his sister-in-law.

Korihime looked at him and obeyed, quietly slinking to stand beside her sister, slightly relieved that he had arrived but at the same time she felt worried for the half-breed she had befriended.

He took one look at the carnage and destruction his little brother had caused and then looked at him as he straightened stiff-leggedly; he huffed. "You're nothing more than a murderous demon." He mused.  
_  
'You will stay out of the way this time, won't you?' He'd requested of her what felt like hours ago.  
She'd nodded reluctantly, meeting his gold eyes. 'Yeah.'_

"Come after me, InuYasha; I wish to fight you transformed into the blood-soaked dog that you currently are." Sesshomaru beckoned coolly.

InuYasha cracked his knuckles and bared his teeth before he snarled and lunged at him, taking the bait.

He drew the new sword Tokijin, extending it at the sailing _hanyou_; the sheer aura of the sword repelled him, seeming to put up a barrier against its wielder's enemy.

"InuYasha, don't do it, Tokijin can slay you with just the aura itself! Please!" Korihime shouted fearfully.

He snarled again and deflected the blade with a sharp fist, surprising his brother as well as the others gathered there.

"He hit it with his fist?" Shippo balked.

"You're such a damn fool!" Getsu barked.

Blood flew from the various nicks the aura had left on his bare fist and forearm; he swiped at the footing of his brother, making him dodge and leap to land on the opposite end of him.

"That was foolish." He growled, extending the Tokijin again as the _hanyou_ growled and flew at him; the aura once again repelled him and sent more of his blood into the air.

"**Sesshomaru, stop it**! Please, you're going to kill him!" Korihime cried, pleading with her brother-in-law to stop his onslaught of the half-breed. "_Sesshomaru!_"

Sesshomaru dodged and weaved around the swipes meant for his face or jugular, finally leaping overhead and landing in the same place he'd started at, his attacker landing opposite him. "Now I understand, little brother. Know your place!"  
He lifted the Tokijin high as the _hanyou_ flew at him from the sky. "A half-breed should act like one." He thundered, the aura of Tokijin connecting with his little brother's body and repelling him once more as a blinding light came from the impact.

"**INUYASHA**!" Korihime shrieked as Getsu held her back by her arms, shutting her eyes tight against the surge of light as her sister mirrored her and shut her eyes tightly.

The light faded with a loud cry of pain from the _hanyou_ that was sent flying back, dust flying in his wake as he fell.

"InuYasha!" Kagome hurried to his side clutching the Tetsusaiga tight; Korihime scrambled away from her sister to rush to his aid as her brother-in-law walked forward to end the struggle.

Korihime skidded to a halt a few feet infront of the _hanyou_ and girl that kneeled at his side, extending her arms out and glaring sternly at his gold eyes, gritting her teeth as tears threatened to fall down her face. "**_Enough_**, Sesshomaru." Her voice was a cold growl, slightly surprising him.

His gaze sharpened as he almost took a step back: angered and on the verge of tears, Korihime looked exactly like Getsu, except that her hair was bluish-looking and she had the silver star on her right cheek instead of the violet crescent on her left cheek.

Miroku and Sango rushed in to also block him, reminding him of a pack of wolves defending their leader.

Sesshomaru spared his mate a glance; she looked on at the scene with her arms folded across her chest, her face blank. He looked at the priestess beyond the angered and defensive stare of his sister-in-law. "If you want him to stop, use the Tetsusaiga to reverse the transformation; otherwise he'll keep changing and his demon blood will overcome his soul." He informed, surprising both females.  
_  
I thought he was going to kill him… But he wanted to tell Kagome this to help InuYasha?_ She thought in confusion.  
"Sesshomaru…" A wry smile formed on her lips and she nodded. "Thank you, Sesshomaru."

He nodded. "Hn." He glanced over at her sister before meeting her eyes. "If you wish to stay with him, it's up to you. Getsu nor myself can dictate your actions, Kori." He saw surprise register in her eyes at his first nickname for her.

She looked at the unconscious half-breed for a long moment before she lifted her eyes to the priestess's brown eyes. "Please take care of him." She pleaded quietly, flashing a soft smile.

She nodded, smiling back, watching the female wolf demon step aside and walk away.

"Kori-chan, this isn't goodbye is it?" The kitsune called, perking her ears.

She looked back at him and smiled, waving. "Not even close, kit." She chuckled, her blue eyes soft again.

"Let's go." She nodded to him, smiling at the gathered humans and sparing the _hanyou_ a brief nod before she followed her sister quietly, arms folded in the sleeves of her kimono top.

He nodded and followed the two females of his pack.

"Sesshomaru, wait." The monk barked, making him pause; his mate also paused as she looked back at his voice. "We all know you hate InuYasha, so why did you stay your hand?" He demanded, blue eyes for the _Inu-Daiyokai_.

Sesshomaru looked at him. "I will slay him eventually; but why do as such now, when he isn't even in his right frame of mind?" He answered calmly, turning away to continue walking.

Getsu looked back at the humans and smiled kindly before she trotted to sidle up to his right side, taking his hand in hers habitually.

* * *

"What's he so glum about?" She wondered of the 'melancholic' imp as the girl hugged her neck gently before she set her down on the dragon's back, putting a hand on her hip.

"Search me. Oi, I have a bone to pick with you, mister. One:"

**_THWACK_**.

He recoiled from the large bump that swelled on his head. "Ow…"

"That's what you get for tryin' to kill my friend. And two: since when do you call me 'Kori'? To be honest, I had to stop from tryin' to check your forehead to see it was you who called me that." She asked, arms crossed over her chest.

Her sister deadpanned at the sight, seeing the confused look on the girl's face before she giggled and smiled at her, tousling her hair affectionately.

"Getsu-onee, why did Kori-onee hit Lord Sesshomaru?" She asked innocently.

She sighed. "Your big sis is a bit of an enigma, Rin. You'll understand when you're bigger." She explained patiently, winking.

She nodded and giggled at the expression on her sister-figure's face.

"Between the two of you, I don't know who hits harder…" He grumbled, ignoring the throbbing pain coming from the bump on his head that was starting to go down in size.

"You didn't answer the question." She sniffed.

He had to fight the shudder that rolled down his spine at her striking resemblance to her sister in terms of being pissy. "Even though you're my sister-in-law, we're still pack, if you recall; besides, at this point you're almost like a sister… And an annoying one at that." He explained, seeing her eyes widen.

She looked away and sniffled as fat tears welled in her eyes. "Aww Sesshomaru!" She wailed as she threw her arms around him and almost made him teeter back before he caught hold of her back and steadied himself.

"Korihime, let go of me…" He deadpanned.

She giggled with the girl before she smiled deviously and mocked tears, crocodile tears streaming down her cheeks as she lunged at him and hugged his right side. "You **do** have a heart!" She wailed loudly, making him almost yelp before the trio fell to the grass.

Rin was in hysterics, tears of laughter in her eyes as the sisters also laughed.

Sesshomaru looked from one female to the next before he groaned and sighed, letting his head drop into the grass.  
"I'm surrounded by emotional women…" He grumbled.

* * *

A/N: *_ignores the throbbing bump on my head from the braining a certain fluffy inu gave using Tensaiga_* yes i had to put in some humor in this chap, most of it seemed too serious.. but other than that, hope you guys liked the fight scene! i haven't written one in a week or so and i was afraid i got rusty.. there's more fight scenes coming in so hopefully my skills will get better by then.

other than that, until next chap see ya! ^^


	21. Not Proud, Paranoid

A/N: fixing to step out in a few so i'm barely submitting this chap. enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 21: Not Proud, Paranoid_**

"Kori-onee, how's your arm?" The girl asked of her fellow dragon rider, looking at the white bandages that had covered up the knife wound from a few days back.

She blinked and looked at the girl, smiling. "Never better. Considerin' I'm a full-demon my injuries heal fast! So that way I can boss around Sessh-kun," she said while flexing the muscles of her bum arm, making the girl laugh.

He deadpanned and shuddered. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that…? It's very annoying." He scolded.

"Don't get huffy with me, besides, Getsu-onee was the first one to call ya that!" She sniffed and stuck her tongue out at him, almost making her sister pause in walking.

She cringed as she almost could sense a dark aura coming from him.

"_Did_ you now?" His tone was soft, but she witnessed enough battles to recognize the underlying coldness in his question. "_Darling?_" He almost spat out the word in his cold tone.

She visibly gulped, looking at him and lifting a hand to rub her neck gingerly, laughing weakly. "I was just being playful…?" She defended.

He made to open his mouth and scold her next before the wind picked up around them, catching at their hair.

Both sisters blinked at the change in weather before the scent of that Kagura woman registered and assailed their noses.

"Kori," she growled sharply for her sister to protect the girl as she watched the aforementioned _yokai_ drop infront of them, crouched on one knee before her mate.

The tip of her katana's blade met the female's nose when she looked up at feeling something cold poke her, seeing her red eyes go cross-eyed at the threat before they lifted to stare at the steely silver orbs of the female _daiyokai_.

"I doubt you've come to tell us that you killed Naraku, so explain your reason for being here before I cut you in half." Getsu ordered frostily.

Kagura huffed and punted her sword away with her fan, straightening and looking past the protective female that blocked her from her mate. "Sesshomaru, call off your bitch, will you? I didn't come to kill you." She wondered sardonically.

"Then why did you come?" Sesshomaru demanded in the same tone as he moved to stand at the female _daiyokai_'s side both out of loyalty and protection.

"I have a proposition for you; and your two princesses, too." She mused.

"'Proposition'?" He repeated.

Both sisters kept a stony look on their faces.

"You know what these are; both of you." She extended her right hand palm-up, revealing two shining lilac Shikon Jewel shards; the female _daiyokai_'s eyes sharpened slightly before her expression blanked and she lifted her stare to lock on her red one. "I'll give them to you; in return, I want you to kill Naraku." She addressed the stoic _daiyokai_ in rather sultry croon, unnerving the she-wolf at his side that silently snarled.

Korihime snorted as she hopped down from the dragon's back. "Why should we kill the only lifeline you have in this world?" She growled, her tone turned to ice, before she smacked her outstretched hand and snatched the shards, surprising the third female _yokai_.

"Hey, give those back you brat!" Kagura snapped at her, perking up as she was met face-first with an arrowhead, meeting her blue eyes that turned to cold ice. "Why you little…"

"If you want to get rid of him do it yourself, don't come crying to my brother-in-law for help. He may be a powerful demon but he isn't a fool. As to your shards, I think I'll keep them safe; knowing that vile pest, he'd most likely kill you for withholding something valuable from him, therein making your petition to kill him utterly useless. Leave now. And if I ever see you again, this arrow is going to go right between your eyes, bitch." She threatened lowly, seeing the silent snarl on her face curl her lip in annoyance and anger.

Kagura huffed and glared at the _Inu-Daiyokai_ again. "These two princesses don't rule your life, do they? Why not free me from his grasp and join forces? We could take him down together." She demanded indignantly.

Getsu began to snarl a curse at her before he placed a hand on her shoulder, quieting her.

"Whether they do or not, putting both of them in danger is something I cannot afford as the head of this pack. And as to your petition, I'm afraid I must insist on you doing it yourself. I have no obligation to an incarnation like you." Sesshomaru stated stonily, gold clashing with red.

She clicked her tongue and glowered from him to the stony-faced sisters before she pulled a feather out from her hair and lifted up into the wind riding the giant white feather again. "Pathetic fool!" She snapped at him before taking off into the night.

She lowered her bow once the incarnation had left, tossing the arrow back into her quiver and shrugging her long bow over her shoulder with a huff. "Talk about insolent. It's a wonder you didn't let us kill her." She grumbled.

She sheathed her katana quietly, looking up at him. "You did the right thing; but then again, you wouldn't be 'the head of this pack' if you didn't do as such." She mused, flashing a teasing smirk at his words.

He huffed quietly and removed his hand from the hilt of Tokijin, tousling her hair. "Don't patronize me, princess." He chided, seeing her roll her eyes habitually, dragging her away from the cliffside by the hand.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I'm not alone anymore! But I can't help wondering if Kagura is lonely…" The girl declared as she trotted after the couple, coming short of his left side.

The female _daiyokai_ blinked at her words before she sighed and stooped to give her a piggy-back ride, straightening. "What she does with her life doesn't concern us, Rin. Besides, you're definitely not alone anymore; ya've got me, Kori-chan, and Sesshomaru now! We're a family." She reminded gently, looking at her rider and smiling lightly up at her slightly awed young face.

She smiled slowly before nodding and smiling back. "Yay, a family!" She laughed.

Both females laughed with her.

He looked at the trio of females and smiled inwardly at the happy looks on their faces.

Even though they weren't related by blood, those two females were like his family; Getsu was his mate, the woman that had gotten under his skin single-handedly and made him see that family was important and vital to survive; Korihime was his sister-in-law he now felt was more of a sister than anything, pacifying the child with her own immature-yet-maternal tendencies and reminding him now and then that it wasn't just him he had to look out for anymore.

They were his family and he would protect what was his: it was as simple as that.

* * *

The wolves growled again, quieting the would-be argument between _hanyou_ and wolf _yokai_, making everyone gathered look up at the reason the wolves were growling.

"I thought I smelled wolf blood." She mused, meeting the blue eyes of the injured clan head, arms folded across her chest as she stood at the back of the throng of wolves.

"Korihime?" The priestess blinked in confusion. "What're you doing here?"

She smiled at her good-naturedly and moved forward, reaching inside the collar of her kimono. "Just thought I'd stop by to give you something." She pulled out the two shining lilac shards she'd stolen from Kagura, showing them to the girl.

"Oi, those're mine! Give them back!" Koga snapped as he tried to snag the shards from the she-wolf's palm, but she side-stepped his swipe easily. "Kori, those're my shards! They were in my legs!"

"Well they didn't belong to you in the first place, idiot. They belonged right where they were in the beginning: **in the hands of a priestess**." Korihime snapped, composing herself and looking at the girl with a light smile, depositing the shards into her right hand. "Here. Keep them away from this moron, he's just pissed that I beat him up last time we met." She explained, jerking a thumb at the grumbling and cursing _Okami-yokai_.

The _hanyou_ guffawed. "Pfhah, you got your ass owned by a girl!" He laughed at the swearing male demon.

She blinked at his appearance, tilting her head to one side. "Oi, what's with you? I've never seen you like this… Did Sesshomaru's beating knock out your demon blood or something?" She pulled gently on one of his long bangs that was now dark black, almost the same color as her sister's hair.

InuYasha blushed and shoved her off, scoffing as he folded his arms stubbornly and looked away. "S-shut up, Kori! Geez, how many people are gonna find out about this? First these idiots and then him and now you…" He growled.

Korihime rolled her eyes and smirked. "How cute, you're blushing. I'd heard half-breeds have their weak points during a month, but I didn't think it was entirely true… And now I stand corrected." She said thoughtfully.

He growled –or rather, a human's imitation of a growl—at her and leered at her with his nose almost touching hers. "Just keep your mouth shut about this. The last thing I need is my damn brother finding out about this! Got it?" He threatened.

She put her hands up in surrender, shrugging. "You got it, love." She winked and poked his forehead, shirking away as he tried to return the favor and folding her arms over her chest. "I'd better get back before your dearest brother wonders where I ran off to." She sighed and started walking away into the darkness, looking over her shoulder at the group and smirking.

"Later; oh and Koga, if you ever feel the need to want your ass owned by a girl again, you know where to find me." She giggled, turning back to take off into the trees and retreat to her pack.

"Um, is it me or does Kori-chan like InuYasha?" Hakkaku wondered hesitantly.

Kagome deadpanned; Koga growled and glared at the aforementioned _hanyou_; InuYasha snorted and sent a glare full of daggers at the lesser wolf demon.

:::::::xXx:::::::

She tilted her head to one side at seeing her sister hop out from the brush to trot up to walk next to the dragon steed. "Where'd you run off to? Rin was worried," she asked curiously.

She shrugged. "I gave the shards to the right person." She replied off-handedly, further confusing her older sibling.

"Kagome, I would imagine?" She guessed.

She nodded sagely. "Yep, the very same." Her mind went back to the sight of the humanized _hanyou_ and she smiled inwardly, deciding to keep that to herself just as she'd told him she would. "Koga says hi." She added.

She blinked, "was he scamming after her or something?" She wondered.

"In a manner of speaking, yeah. That Kagura bitch took his shards from his legs in the first place, the shards she'd used to attempt a bribery." She explained calmly.

She nodded, tapping her chin and huffing. "Well so long as he didn't try to kill you, I don't see any harm in it. Though I gotta admit you have weird taste in men," she mused, pricking her ears.

She narrowed her eyes accusingly. "What's that mean?"

"Well if it clearly wasn't evident that he was with the priestess, I'd think you had a crush on InuYasha… And then Koga's… well, arrogant attitude. I know I don't have a lot of room to speak because of my own love life, but as your sister I find your taste to be weird. At least towards idiots like InuYasha and Koga." She explained patiently, seeing her mate briefly bristle each time Koga and InuYasha were mentioned aloud, a smirk on her lips.

Even though he was usually holding a sword when he was mad, she had to admit Sesshomaru was at least ten times more handsome when he was in that state.

She huffed as well and looked away. "You're delusional." She grated.

"Am I wrong?" She challenged calmly, her silver eyes meeting her blue eyes.

She reluctantly backed down after a long moment and sighed. "Sometimes I hate it when you're right, onee-chan." She growled.

"I just call it like I see it." She shrugged absently.

* * *

A/N: not much to put so until next chap, later!


	22. Not Afraid, Headstrong

A/N: not much to put atm other than this is one chap basically full of action scenes so enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 22: Not Afraid, Headstrong**_

He tilted his head to one side. "I'm surprised you don't wish to join in fishing." He mused to her.

She shrugged and watched her sister snatch two fish from the stream, snuggling into his right side and letting him squeeze her waist. "Water and me don't particularly mix. Guess it's because of my powers," she replied around a stifled yawn.

He chuckled quietly, seeing her ears twitch. "If I didn't know better, I'd have think I mated with a cat." He said thoughtfully.

She snorted and jabbed her elbow into his ribs. "Piss off, fluffy." She grumbled.

He smirked proudly and hugged her waist affectionately.

A strange scent wafted in the air, assailing both _daiyokai_'s noses.

His arm slipped from her waist as he shuffled to his feet, letting her flop onto the ground.  
"Sesshomaru," she began to scold him.

"Come on," he extended his hand to help her to her feet.

She took it, squeezing his hand and walking at his side as he followed the scent downriver.  
If she didn't know any better, she'd have sworn she was smelling the scent of a cat.

He finally stopped as they both noted the river freezing with a thin-yet-sturdy layer of ice; she bristled slightly as the stink of cat was stronger now.

"If it isn't Tohran," he greeted the perpetrator as they looked at the sight of a panther _yokai_ with wild ice blue hair and pale skin wearing a blue kimono with the right sleeve cut off, a black katana at her hip.

"It's been a long time, Sesshomaru." She returned coolly.

He scoffed, "I thought you were dead."

"That's a nice way to greet someone!" She jibed, her ears perking as she let her blue stare shift to the stony-eyed silver stare of the female _daiyokai_ at his right side. "And who's this? Your scent is reeking off of her. She's not your pet, is she?" She wondered, looking at him before smirking at the she-wolf.

"Getsu, _Okami-Daiyokai_ of the West." She answered before he could spout a remark, seeing the female _yokai_'s eyes sharpen in recognition.

"So you're the spawn of Lord Kiba. You have his eyes; I'd heard your pathetic pack of dogs died out over a century ago." A bristle rippled through the she-wolf but other than that she kept a poker-face on her pretty face. "Shame you didn't die with them; it'd be one less mongrel to deal with." Tohran sneered.

Getsu flashed her teeth as her aura threatened to pulse angrily, huffing. "My father mentioned your kind once; he helped the Inu no Taisho defeat your master and send him into his damn grave where he rightfully belonged. It's only common sense that a cat would have his neck snapped in half by the jaws of a dog." She snarled frostily.

"Spunky, I'll give you that. You must be proud, Sesshomaru." She smirked at the _Inu-Daiyokai_. "It's time we settle things."

His eyes were closed serenely even though his mate could sense that he was pissy. "We settled things a long time ago, but if you insist." He mused, eyes opening and looking at the panther stonily. "You won't be as lucky as you once were fifty years ago."

"You're still as boorish as ever, I see; not even this bitch you've claimed has lightened your mood. But things will be different this time around; our master is waiting for you." She replied, a glint appearing in her eyes that made the she-wolf bristle again.

She huffed. "So he's on his last nine lives? Cats really are pathetic creatures." She growled.

"Yes, the one that leads the panther tribe; I understand your dear father is dead, just like hers. But our master is going to be resurrected at long last." She stated, seeming smug about it.

Both _daiyokai_ bristled. "'Resurrected'?" He repeated. "But for what purpose?"

"To attack the lands in the East once again, and to get revenge on you and all your kind." She growled the last bit.

He huffed, "I'll see to it that he never breathes again." He vowed.

"I'm glad to see you've accepted my challenge!" He gripped the hilt of Tokijin. "Don't be so hasty; we won't settle the score here. Come to our castle, and bring all the reinforcements that you'll require!" She declared as the ice erupted from beneath and she disappeared with the cold wind that picked up with her ice.

The day returned to the normal clear-skied image as he released the hilt.

"You're not going to stay behind." He didn't ask.

She huffed. "Of course not. Those arrogant flea-bags have another thing coming if they believe the daughters of the _Okami-Daiyokai_ Kiba are just going to sit back and bite our claws off." She mused as she folded her arms over her chest.

He smirked and nodded, "as I figured." He replied, seeing her smirk back, before the remaining members of their party ran forward with fish in their hands.

"Lord Sesshomaru, look how many fish Kori-onee, Jaken and I caught!" The girl giggled as she held up at least ten gathered fish by a string.

"Jaken, the panther demon tribe is back." He informed the imp as his mate ruffled the girl's hair and smiled lightly.

Both the imp and female _yokai_ balked. "W-what're they doing back here?" The imp squeaked.

"Onee-chan, the cats Father helped vanquish…" Korihime began, recalling the old story their father had told when she was younger.

Getsu nodded. "You're coming too, Kori." She instructed.

She nodded, smirking widely. "Well it's about time we get serious." She mused.

"Rin, listen to me; you're to stay here with Ah-Un." Sesshomaru ordered patiently.  
Rin nodded, "I will! Don't forget to come back for us." She smiled and waved as he took off first with a rambling imp at his heels.

Getsu hugged her and nuzzled her head gently, winking. "We'll come back," she promised.

Korihime patted Un's shoulder gently before squeezing the girl in a hug. "See you later, Rin," she added, trotting after the _Inu-Daiyokai_ as her sister hurried after him.

"Onee-chan, are they the same ones from when Father fought long ago?" She asked quietly once they were far from the girl and dragon.

She nodded, arms folding in the sleeves of her kimono. "From what I gather, yes. I would imagine they're still sore from the loss of their tribe leader, even though the bitch that came out today warned that the overgrown flea-bag would be resurrected." She explained grimly.

Her eyes widened slightly before she scowled. "'Resurrected'? Nothing can bring back the dead, least of all a horrid thing like the cat leader. Those cats are mad to think they can do such a thing." She mused.

She sighed, "regardless, we're going to be up against at least more than thirty cats."

"You make it sound like it's an army," she chuckled.

He smiled slightly at the two females' conversation, his ears twitching as he caught sight of an overgrown wolf demon with bulging blue eyes and brown fur sitting at the next corner... waiting on him. The smile fell instantly and he continued walking, pretending the wolf demon wasn't there.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I, Royakan, would be honored to serve under you once again!"

"Not necessary."

The wolf demon balked. "Please, milord, I beg you to reconsider!"

Both females paused short of the sight of the begging wolf demon. "Royakan? Aren't you the wolf from hell?" The younger one wondered curiously with a tilt of her head.

He glanced back at the two females. "Girls, let's go." He beckoned.

"He does look useful, but I would imagine only to a certain extent." His mate deadpanned.

The hulking canine's face lit up at seeing her silver eyes. "Lord Kiba's daughter!" This made the _Inu-Daiyokai_ pause; she blinked and cocked a brow. "How do you know of my father?"

"Lord Kiba and I fought together once, long ago! I can see that you are indeed his daughter because of your eyes; my lady, please allow me to be of service to you! It would be an honor to fight alongside the daughter of the powerful _Okami-Daiyokai_ of the West." He explained excitedly.

She smiled sheepishly, hesitating. "Um, Sesshomaru…?" She began, looking to him for help.

He rolled his eyes and sighed, doubling back to take her hand. "She's not interested." He said dismissively, turning to lead her away by the grip he had on her smaller hand, ignoring the distraught stare of the wolf demon.

"Aww, but onee-chan, he's so cute!" Her sister wheedled, her eyes as puppy-dog-eyed as the aforementioned demon's big blue eyes were.

"Kori, come on." She sighed.

She pouted and sighed. "Sorry, Roya-kun," she bowed to him before hurrying after her sister.

"Oh, and Royakan." He paused slightly.

"Yes?" His face lit up again.

"Leave before I lop off your head." He advised.

Royakan blanched, looking crestfallen.

"Aww, how can you say no to that face?" Korihime whined.

Getsu rolled her eyes patiently and sighed. "Honestly…" She muttered, dragging her along by the wrist.

"Perhaps you should reconsider accepting his help; we need it!" Jaken piped up.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes calmly. "Not necessary." He repeated.

"Then maybe we should ask for InuYasha's assistance this time!" He insisted.

"Jaken, only you and the girls need accompany me." He stated, walking off with his mate in tow and his sister-in-law at his heels, leaving the dumbfounded imp behind.

"Sesshomaru, I have a request." She spoke up once they were far away from Royakan, perking his ears.

He looked at her, "what is it?"

"That bitch, Tohran; she's my kill." She ignored the arched brow at her words. "She dared sully my father's name and as the head of my clan, it would be an honor to have my claws rip her throat out." She promised lowly.

He felt the spike in her aura and he nodded, looking forward. "As you wish." He obliged.

She nodded. "Thanks."

"Onee-chan," her sister began softly in surprise at hearing her say those things.

She looked at her and smiled with a determined light in her eyes. "I'm doing this for Father's sake… to honor him. Just cover my back, okay? Gods know I need you at my side too, Korihime." She smiled sincerely.

She nodded solemnly and shrugged her bow onto her shoulder absently. "Right."

::::::xXx:::::::

"Sesshomaru!" He growled as he came forth from the dust cloud that had formed from his attack.

A mimicking howl rang out before an arrow coated in ice screamed at the red-haired panther demon, sending her flying back with a yowl of pain.

"Talk about making an entrance." She hopped down from the rooftop to land nimbly next to him, smirking at the _hanyou_ and his friends.

The panther demon hissed and glared at the stony blue stare of the female wolf, another arrow aimed at her. "You stupid wolf! Who do you think you are attacking like that?" She snapped, yanking the arrow from her left thigh and wincing.

"Korihime, daughter of the _Okami-Daiyokai_ of the West." She informed coldly, her tone a pun on her name.

Her red eyes widened before she huffed. "So you're Lord Kiba's little mongrel, but you're just the runt of the litter. Where's your bitch sister, the one that has caught the attention of my sister Tohran?" She growled.

A spout of blue fire narrowly missed her nose, making her look down at the female _daiyokai_ with her hand holding tight to the hilt of the Mangetsuga. "The name's Getsu; but your life is most likely going to be taken by my sister so I'd rather not waste breath on a weak kitty like you, Kahran." She sneered, cracking her knuckles.

"You overbearing bitch…" The redhead began to yowl.

"Onee-chan, I'll take her; save your energy for your own kill." Korihime hollered calmly, lunging at the panther demon with a foot extended.

Getsu nodded, "you got it. Have fun!"

InuYasha deadpanned, "well gee, it's great to see you two too, oversized mutt." He grumbled, perking her ears.

She huffed and smirked again, slinging her sword over her shoulder leisurely. "Now how could I forget about ya, half-breed?" She teased.

The _Inu-Daiyokai_ rolled his eyes. "You can heckle him another day, Getsu." He scolded.

A pout crossed her face, "you're so mean!" She griped.

"Oi, so what the hell're you doin' here, Sesshomaru? And why are Getsu and Korihime fighting these flea-bags too?" InuYasha snorted, directing his attention to him once again.

Sesshomaru huffed, turning to business. "Just what I was thinking. As to the girls, their business with the panther tribe is their own; it has nothing to do with me. I'd suggest you leave while you still can." He replied stiffly.

"What'd you say?" He growled.

His tone was icy and authorative, "this is my war: I won't let you get involved." He spat.

"I'm not gonna follow your orders; Kagome's been captured by those demon cats!" He protested.

His lip curled. "You're such a fool!" He swung Tokijin at him, sending a ball of blue energy at him and making him fly back.

_Why is it even with brute force he never listens?_ She thought with a patient sigh.

"Hey, what're you comin' after me for!?" He barked as he began to get out of the demolished hut he'd crashed into.

His gold eyes sharpened as he flashed his teeth. "**Silence**, InuYasha!"

She lifted a brow. _Since when does he show this much emotion? Have those cats really shaken him up?_ She wondered, noting the _hanyou_ shared in her surprise.

"Remember your past, InuYasha; you fell in love with a mortal woman who sealed you to a tree for years, thus making it pointless for you to take part in this battle." He returned Tokijin to his side, nodding to her. "Getsu."

"Um, Lord Sesshomaru, we need all the allies we can get; we mustn't be choosy at a time like this…!" The imp began to remind before the _Inu-Daiyokai_ stomped on him as he passed through, ignoring the yelp of pain.

She sweatdropped and rolled her eyes, looking back at the _hanyou_ and humans and smiling lightly before she followed him, hopping over the felled imp.

:::::::xXx:::::::

Both _daiyokai_ bristled slightly at the sight of being surrounded by so many cats.  
_If this keeps up I just might develop an allergy to those flea-bags_, she thought, wrinkling her nose.

"You summoned us here so where is this so-called master?" He demanded of the blue-haired panther that stood smugly infront of them.

"All in good time, once the preparations have been made. In the meantime, why don't you play with me?" She replied coolly, smirking.

"Allow me, Lord, Sesshomaru, I'll handle this wench; behold the Staff of Two Heads!" The imp barked as he sent a torrent of fire from the staff sailing at the panther.

She extended her hand out and sent a wide array of ice screaming at the imp, an icy wind sending him flying as the shards of ice were closing in on the surprised imp.

A torrent of blue fire screamed at the ice, stopping it from making contact with the frightened disciple, surprising the cat.

"Your fight is with me, **bitch**. I suggest you remember that before I kill you." Getsu declared as she flicked her wrist and stood tall infront of the panther.

Tohran sneered, looking past her at the _Inu-Daiyokai_. "Sesshomaru, I'm surprised at you, allowing your precious mongrel off the leash…" She narrowly dodged a fist that was meant for her face, glaring at the wolf.

"Leave him, this fight is not his: insulting my father's name and honor is my problem, not his. I'll teach you to never insult my clan or the one I love again!" Another torrent of fire was sent at her, forcing her to fly back.

The cats around her hissed and yowled at the insolent she-wolf, preparing to lunge.

"No. This wolf is mine; her insolence has finally cost her." Tohran snarled at them, glowering at the female _Okami-Daiyokai_ that was busy putting her hair back in a high ponytail by a blue hair-tie, securing it and glaring at her with steely silver eyes.

Getsu smirked and cracked her knuckles as her claws grew again. "Quit hissing like a scared kitten and give me reason to be impressed." She growled, her aura beginning to pulse and slowly become visible.

A wave of ice was sent at her as she flicked her right wrist, diverting her attention; she leaped out of the way, landing atop one of the huts and thrusting her left fist forward at the oncoming panther, blue fire screaming at her and sending her skidding back onto the roof she'd taken brief shelter on.

She snarled and an ice spear formed in her hands before she thrust the sharp end out at her face, being met with a sharp block by her katana's blade, specks of ice flying from the spear when ice clashed with metal.

She huffed and bared her teeth tauntingly, seeing her tail twitch in anger. "For a kitty, you're not bad." She mused.

"If I was looking for a compliment, I wouldn't be fighting you!" She hissed and shoved her weight down on the spear, trying to force the she-wolf back. "Instead I'd be fighting your precious mutt you consider your mate." She sneered.

She headbutted her forehead sharply, sending her staggering back, her own head spinning before she shook it fervently and lowered her katana, clicking her tongue. "I told you to leave him out of this!" She swung the blade to the right sharply; a wide arc of blue-green energy screamed at the disoriented cat, sending her flying back and onto the ground.

The panther scrambled to her feet as the female _daiyokai_ leaped off the roof and flew at her, bringing her own katana up to block her oncoming swing; sparks flew when their blades met.

"That blade…" She began in recognition.

"Forged from my grandfather's own right fang. I suppose you remember being defeated by it." She huffed, bearing down on the cat.

Her left fist crashed into her gut as blood flew; her eyes sharpened slightly before she disengaged the blades and glared at her as she held up an icy dagger tainted with crimson on the blade.

He heard his inner demon snarling loudly in his ears at catching whiff of her spilled blood, his own blood boiling at the travesty; his gold eyes looked at his companion as she stood tall against the cat demon, her katana clashing with hers again and again, sparks flying as the sound of metal screeching against metal started to hurt his sharp ears.

Getsu finally rammed her foot into her chest and sent the panther crashing into a hut, panting as she gripped the hilt of Mangetsuga tightly, teeth grinding together. _Father, I will cleanse your honor of this insult_, she thought, hearing a yowl ring out in the air as a blur of icy blue screamed at her, jerking her from her thoughts; she side-stepped effortlessly, watching the panther nearly crash into one of her minions.

"What's the matter, **_kitty_**, are the fangs of a wolf too much for you to put up a fight against?" She sneered with a growl in her throat, turning to face the angered panther female.

Tohran huffed and smirked at her, flashing a canine. "You're your father's daughter all right. But this fight isn't over yet, wolf girl." She tossed a smoke-ball at the ground, giving time for her and her cats to escape.

Both _daiyokai_ glared after her retreat.

Sesshomaru turned to his mate as she sheathed her katana quietly. "Your injury has healed itself," he mused.

Getsu nodded, smiling up at him. "It was just a scratch. Come on, we need to find where those cats slunk away to." She kissed him lightly before spiriting away; he smiled after her and followed until they were side-by-side again.

* * *

"Fire ball!" She sent a row of orange fire balls at him.

"**Nagareboshi-kaen**!" A wide wall of blue fire formed infront of him as she blocked the attacks, baffling the panther.

"Since when can dogs use fire?" Kahran snorted.

A wide jet of blue fire slammed into her belly, sending her flying. "Since now." Getsu growled, flexing her claws as the panther female's back slammed into the high wall before she fell into the mote's water, earning a snicker from the she-wolf. "Talk about a wet flea-bag." She smirked.

She yowled and glared up at the brazen female _daiyokai_, the latter's lilac-colored aura sending a shiver down her spine to her flicking tail as she purposefully leaked her demonic aura.

A spear of ice sailed at where the she-wolf was; he yanked on her scruff and pulled her to his chest, Tokijin defending both of them as his gold eyes held cold daggers for the owner of the spear.

Tohran huffed. "I see you're very protective of your dear little bitch, even though it's pointless to run from her inevitable demise!" She sent a row of icy shards at the two _daiyokai_.

Getsu slipped free of his arm's protection and leaped into the air, sending five torrents of blue fire at her, watching her bob and weave around each one before she bared her teeth in aggravation at missing the fast-moving target. "Who says I'm running?" She thundered.

Kahran yowled and leaped at her, sending her flying back.

The two females scuffled until Getsu rammed her foot into her enemy's chest, knocking the wind out of her lungs, as she scurried away and drew back a few yards, thin scratches on her pretty face as her ebony hair was slightly disheveled from the fight.

"You stupid bitch, know your place!" She hissed as she scrambled to her feet and hurtled forward at the tensed _daiyokai_.

A blur of dark blue crashed into her from the side, a feral snarl ripping from the blur, slightly surprising her sister.  
"Kori," she breathed in surprise and relief, meeting her sister's soft blue eyes.

Korihime panted slightly, smirking at her and winking. "So has your allergy started to kick in too, onee-chan?"

Getsu huffed and smirked back, noting the scratches here or there, the rips in her kimono and leggings, her cobalt hair disheveled in the messy ponytail she kept it in. "Kick some ass?" She wondered.

"Happily." She sighed.

She nodded. "Good, I know Papa would be proud."

Both females looked to see Kahran had slunk away again, making a scowl set on their brows.

"Where's fluffy?" Korihime wondered as she shrugged her bow and quiver over her shoulder, flanking her sister as she retreated to where her mate was.

Getsu looked ahead and sighed, "where else?"

She rolled her eyes, smirking again. "That's just like him, actin' like his infamous father." She mused.

"You're tellin' me. Oh yeah, your dog boy is here too." She informed, perking her ears.

Pink blush stained her cheeks. "He's not my 'dog boy', as you so kindly put it! We're just friends." She snapped.

She shrugged innocently, "I'm just saying, no need to bite my head off. Kagome got captured by the clan of flea-bags so naturally he came to save her." She sighed.

"That doesn't surprise me, he's always actin' like the big-shot hero… Idiot mutt." She grumbled.

"I thought I heard you _complaining_, Kori." He declared as they neared the bridge where she'd split up from his side, slightly relieved to see his sister-in-law still in one piece.

She pouted, huffing. "Piss off, I'm glad to see you too." She grumbled, glaring daggers at his amused smirk.

"Where's Tohran?" Her sister asked, scowling at the ice that glistened on the ground and trees and bridge leading into the recesses of the castle.

"That irritating flea-bag slunk away again, and judging from the scent, I can tell that Kahran left too. They're going to try and resurrect their master sometime soon, let's move." He answered, turning to lead the way across the bridge at a sprint.

Both sisters shared a look and nodded simultaneously before sprinting after his lead into the castle where the stink of cats threatened to damage their keen noses.

::::::xXx:::::::

A loud roar sounded from the mummified cat demon as it lowered a large paw down onto the offering table and gobbled up the three Shikon Jewel shards offered to it.

She sneezed, rubbing her nose gingerly and grimacing. "Shit, now I **really** hate cats." She grumbled.

"The feeling's mutual." He mused as she also sneezed and her lip curled in frustration. "I want you both to cover my back; if things get worse than they seem, you two fall back. Am I clear?" He instructed.

His instructions received a couple of frowns before the sisters sighed and nodded. "Crystal."

"**KAGOME**!" The sound of the _Okami-yokai_ clan head's voice ringing out in the night made their ears twitch.

"Oh joy." Getsu sweatdropped.

Korihime slapped her forehead. "Damn it, Koga. I had a feeling he would be here too, knowing his emotions towards Kagome." She groaned.

Sesshomaru huffed stiffly at the wolf demon's failed attempt to break past the panther tribe's barrier. "He's still as bull-headed as ever, I see." He deadpanned.

"This isn't good," the youngest of the trio grumbled as the reanimated mummy reached a paw down at the humans gathered for the sacrifice. _And because that overgrown dead cat has a barrier, I can't fire an arrow_, she thought, clicking her tongue.

"**KAGOME**!" The _hanyou_'s voice sounded before he was seen charging the barrier protecting the panther tribe.

His gold eyes sharpened at the discoloration of the Tetsusaiga.

"The fang is red?" His female counterpart wondered quietly.

He swung the fang down, destroying the barrier that kept the awaiting canine –that is to say, Sesshomaru, Getsu, Korihime, and Koga— _yokai_ at bay, making the four panther _yokai_ that were hiding behind the barrier blanch in horror.

Korihime sweatdropped at the sight of the two males bickering over the hand of the priestess, sighing. "If you'll excuse me…" She muttered, spiriting away.

"Your sister has a very odd taste in men." Sesshomaru deadpanned.

Getsu nodded wordlessly, sighing.

**_THWACK_**.

**_THWACK_**.

"**OW**!" Both _hanyou_ and _Okami-yokai_ yelped as they split apart, now sporting a large bump on their head.

"Good gods you two are acting like lovesick puppies! InuYasha for being a total bull-headed dumbass swinging a club around and Koga, you aughta be ashamed of yourself for pining after a human girl! As the clan head of the Eastern Tribe you're lucky my father isn't alive today otherwise he'd beat you bloodier than I could!" The cobalt-haired female snarled annoyedly, glaring from one male to the other with a hand on her hip and a shaking fist.

Sango, Miroku, and Kagome sweatdropped.

"**NOONE ASKED YOU SO BUTT OUT, PRINCESS**!" InuYasha and Koga snarled at her in chorus, matching veins popping on their brows.

Korihime glowered at them as a dark aura settled around her, making both males cringe and shrink back hesitantly; she huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought as much."

"Now we **definitely** know you two are related…" Sango muttered, referring to the she-wolf's older sibling.

'_Give me blood!_' The mummy-cat roared as it slammed a large paw down on where the four where.

"Kori, move!" InuYasha shoved the she-wolf out of the way as Koga snatched Kagome by the waist and the trio dodged it, leaving the _hanyou_ to block the large paw.

"InuYasha!" Kagome barked.

"_Baka-inu!_" Korihime exclaimed, swiftly drawing an arrow from her quiver and preparing to fire.

"Relax girls, I'm gonna make sure I get you outta here…" Koga began to assure the girls.

"I'm not leaving without the others!" The priestess silenced him.

She huffed as her aura flowed into the arrow, making it glow a bright light pink color. "There's no way in hell I'm leaving without getting rid of this overgrown flea-bag! My father's honor is on the line."

The _hanyou_ growled as he shoved the paw off, cutting it with the fang; the mummy-cat roared in pain. "**KORI, SHOOT**!" He shouted with a glance over at the arrow poised in her long bow.

Kori fired the arrow, sending it flying at the distracted corpse.

A bolt of fire destroyed the arrow, surprising both InuYasha and Korihime.  
"You stupid brat!" A torrent of orange fire screamed at the she-wolf.

A wall of blue wolf fire diverted the torrent, the flames dying swiftly when they collided.

"Keep your claws off my little sister, bitch." Getsu thundered coldly, flexing her claws as she was bristling like mad.

"Onee-chan," Korihime began in surprise; she met her blue eyes and winked, smirking.

Kahran's tail twitched angrily as her aura kicked in and she sent several bouts of fire at the angered _daiyokai_.

She dodged them effortlessly, leaping into the air with her katana drawn. "I've come to the realization that I really hate cats!" A wide arc of green energy screamed at the panther _yokai_ when she flicked her wrist to the left.

He inwardly slapped his forehead even though he had to admit that he was proud of her for being this strong; of course her bull-headed recklessness got in the way often, but other than that he was both grateful for having a mate like her as well as seeing her come so far after only two centuries of time spent together.

She huffed and landed nimbly next to him, flicking her wrist. "You can stop wagging your tail now, y'know," she teased.

He blinked and then huffed, smirking. "Don't get too cocky, princess."

She looked off to see her sister helping herd the humans away from the battle, ears twitching as she looked at the _hanyou_ brazenly –and recklessly—taking on the four panther _yokai_; she sighed. "Your brother must've been dropped on the head as an infant," she muttered.

The scuffle continued until three of the _yokai_ sent a whirlwind of their combined powers at him, diverting his attention, before the fourth panther body-slammed onto him from above, pinning him to the ground.

"Let's go," he nodded to her.

She nodded, sprinting at his right, as he swung the Tokijin down and sent a torrent of blue energy at the four _yokai_ plus _hanyou_, sending them sprawling.

InuYasha grumbled as he sat up from the wreckage, glaring up at his brother. "I told you I could handle it!"

"Stay where you are and just watch; the panther tribe belongs to me." Sesshomaru drawled.

"Oh yeah, then why's Getsu here? This ain't her business!" He snapped.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Guess I forgot to explain earlier; my father helped yours in the first great battle against the panther tribe centuries ago. The fact that these flea-bags have outlived my honorable father is an insult in and of itself, so it's my duty as the firstborn of my clan to set things straight and destroy the panther tribe." She explained patiently.

He huffed, "so you're doin' this just to restore your clan's honor? Isn't that why you're after Naraku?"

She bristled, "that's another reason for another day. For now as canine demons we gotta be the superior breed and kick their asses." She growled, the sword she held at her shoulder leisurely lowering to her right side as her clawed hand gripped the hilt out of reflex.

InuYasha snorted. "Yer outta your mind if you think I'm gonna work with a jackass like him! Both of you back down!" He snapped.

Sesshomaru bristled and swung Tokijin at him, being blocked by Tetsusaiga. "Not a chance in hell." He growled.

Getsu sighed when they started quarreling, a vein twitching on her temple as she stood to the side with the imp. "Well this isn't exactly how I had intended for it to go…" She muttered.

"Miss Getsu, look!" Jaken barked, pointing a clawed finger at the four panther _yokai_ that were powering up and preparing to use their powers to eliminate both brothers.

"Shit…" She looked at the brothers and exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Oh boys… _**BOYS**__!_" She shouted at the top of her lungs, making the imp cringe as both brothers' ears ached briefly with her loudness.

"**WHAT NOW**!?" Sesshomaru and InuYasha snarled in chorus, twin sets of gold eyes glaring at her.

Getsu pointed up at the combined powers of the panther quartet. "_That_."

The mummified feline's eyes glowed green as it glared at its four disciples, slaying three out of the four panthers and consuming their life forces.  
_Talk about cannibalistic_, she thought grimly, perking up as the giant corpse's form shifted until it grew brown fur and yellow eyes, standing tall over them.

"I really hate cats."

"Getsu, stay out of the way." He ordered as his brother lunged first (as was expected), swinging Tokijin at the hulking feline and barely nicking the skin before he was sent flying back.

"Yeah right, like I'm going to listen to that." She huffed, sprinting forward as the _hanyou_ sent a Wind Scar at the overgrown cat and made a direct hit.

The cat growled and sent the four claws of its left paw at the half-breed, making him dodge and almost get hit by the fourth one.

"How rude to forget about a lady; **Dying Wolf's Blood**!" She commanded loudly, sending a wide arc of green energy screaming at the large feline, hitting it in the forehead sharply.

It yowled loudly in pain before narrowing its large eyes. '_That fang… the Mangetsuga! You are the spawn of that insolent wolf!_' It thundered.

"Getsuei, firstborn daughter of Lord Kiba, _Okami-Daiyokai_ of the West." The wind whipped at her hair as her aura pulsed until it looked lilac again, and she gripped the hilt of Mangetsuga. "Lady of the Western Lands." She growled, flying at the cat.

InuYasha huffed, glancing over at his brother as she bobbed and weaved around the cat's swipes, her fang snapping back just as sharply. "Well, Sesshomaru, I didn't figure your princess had gotten this strong. It's no wonder Kori's just as bull-headed." He mused calmly.

Sesshomaru ignored him, keeping his gold eyes on his mate's lithe form slashing and dodging the cat's swipes, still angered that she had charged blindly into battle… but other than that, he was silently hoping she wouldn't get killed.

The hulking feline finally yowled and slammed the declawed left paw into her, sending her flying with a brief yelp.

"Damn it!" Getsu grunted, perking up as she was caught in the crook of someone's arm before she was lowered gently to the ground; she looked up to meet his familiar gold orbs.

Sesshomaru's gaze was stony but other than that he was relieved she was still in one piece. "Stay here, and don't do anything reckless." He ordered, seeing the beginnings of a protest on her face.

"But…!" She began to spout a retort before he pulled her closer for a deep kiss, silencing her; she blushed and growled in defeat, kissing back before he broke the kiss just as quickly as he'd started it.

He smirked gently. "Stay." He repeated in a softer tone, sliding his arm from her waist to walk forward.

She watched him leave and scowled, disgruntled, sheathing her katana. "That was so not fair."

* * *

"**What kind of moron lets those stupid cats go**!?"  
The _hanyou_ yelped as her heel stomped into the large bump her sister had given him, grumbling curses into the dirt.

She glared down at the felled half-breed, a vein twitching on her brow.

A patient sigh sounded from the side. "How many times have I told you not to act like a brat?" He grumbled as he pulled on her arm and dragged her away.

"Piss off, that stupid cat was my kill! Those overgrown flea-bags didn't deserve to be spared and left to go back to the West! I shoulda…"

"**_Getsuei_**…" He rumbled, his dark tone making her flinch.

She blushed and then groaned in defeat. "Fine."

Her sister snickered, ignoring the death glare, and waved back at the humans plus wolf demons and _hanyou_. "See you around, boys!" She said lightly before the trio of _yokai_ plus imp retreated into the darkness.

* * *

A/N: whew, i think that was the longest chap i've written for this fic. if you think i failed or whatnot in the action scenes, feel free to message or review. thanks and see ya!


	23. Diamonds - Shining (pt01)

A/N: where we last left off the trio of _yokai_ (Sesshomaru, Getsu and Korihime) went to battle against the vengeful panther tribe from the West, fighting for both the honor of their fathers and to end the farce once and for all. mostly action in that chap and the one after this one is going to be the same, so enjoy this chap for now!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

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_**Chapter 23: Diamonds - Shining (pt.01)**_

She yelped as she fell to the ground with a muffled '_oof_', landing face-first.

He deadpanned as her sister giggled behind him; he shook his head patiently, walking over to help her to her feet. "That was close, but you didn't muster enough of your power into hovering for very long." He chided as she took his hand and stood.

Her cheeks were pink and she huffed, cutting her gaze to the side.

He had sent the imp to keep an eye on the girl as she had gone off to look for food, now having been gone almost a whole day, the sun slowly beginning to bow to the moon that had been red like blood the night before and would undoubtedly be the same as soon as the sun set.

Her sister was busy lazing about in the green grass of the hilltop they were temporarily occupying, and for the past hour or two had been watching with amused blue eyes she being taught how to make herself fly by her mate.

"Don't patronize me, I almost had it." She sniffed.

His gold eyes glittered in amusement before he tucked a few strands of ebony hair behind her right ear and sighed. "Perhaps we should give up for today, on account of the fact that you would probably maim me if I frustrate you further." He suggested, dropping his hand from her cheek to his side.

She blinked before she waved her hands frantically, sweatdropping. "No, I mean… I wanna try again. Please? I know I can do it!" She clapped her hands together and stuck out her lower lip, giving him the puppy-dog eyes she knew he would do anything for.

His ears twitched at her overtly-cute attempt to beg with him before he sighed and nodded. "Go on. But after that, we're stopping for today. Understood?" He wagered.

She beamed and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him happily. "Got it, thanks, Sesshomaru!" She giggled, keeping the excited and happy look on her face.

He chuckled quietly, squeezing her waist with his arm before letting her slip free. "Don't mention it. Now try to stay up at least for ten minutes this time." He kissed her forehead before letting her pull away completely.

She blushed slightly at the forehead kiss and nodded, shifting her weight from one foot to the other before she concentrated her demonic power on lifting into the air; the ground left the soles of her bare feet and she kept concentrating until she was towering over his head by ten feet.

He nodded sagely, watching her lift higher into the air and keep herself there for the ten minutes that he counted in the back of his mind.

She opened her eyes at seeing that she remained airborne before she beamed and let loose a howl, grinning like an idiot. "Hell yes, I did it!" She crowed, jumping higher and pumping a fist into the air; her concentration faltered before she squeaked and grit her teeth, maintaining her position with minimal exertion.

"Not bad, I'm surprised you managed to keep your footing for a little over ten minutes. Though you did almost slip up a second ago." He mused as he appeared infront of her with a rather proud glint in his gold stare as he noted his observations to his temporary student.

Getsu huffed, keeping the grin on her lips as she placed a hand on her hip. "'Not bad' my ass; you gotta admit I accomplished it." She teased, leaning in to poke his chest with a finger. "Admit it, love." She giggled.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes habitually, glancing at the way the dying sun highlighted her ebony hair she'd let flow freely, smirking as he pulled her gently to his chest. "Don't get too cocky, wolf girl." He scolded lowly.

She blushed slightly and then smirked back, leaning up on her tip-toes to kiss his nose. "You take the fun outta things," she complained in a whine, laughing when he wrinkled his nose at her sweet kiss.

He made a face similar to a pout, earning another laugh, squeezing her hand. "Not everything." He rebutted coolly, seeing her cheeks flare to turn that shade of reddish pink he loved most.

She snorted and pushed on his chest armor. "Piss off, you arrogant dog… Eep!" She yelped, the insult being cut short, as she lost her concentration and tumbled to the ground.

Sesshomaru exhaled patiently and dropped down after her, hooking his arm around her hips and scooping her up before she hit the ground, lowering them down at a slower pace. "Karma, my dear princess, is a bitch." He sighed.

Getsu spluttered a huff and buried her cheek into his cool armor's surface. "Shut up." She growled when he chuckled, sounding smug at stumping her.

Korihime rolled her eyes when they landed on the ground, sticking her tongue out before flopping back into the grass from sitting up to watch the spectacle. _It's romantic stuff they do that makes me not ever want a mate_, she thought.

He reluctantly let her slip free, looking up at the sky again and seeing that same blood moon had started its trek to the top of the night sky, the pink and scarlet orange colors of the sunset bowing below the horizon the mountains left and the sky was being colored with shades of light blue and dark blue.

"I wonder if Rin's okay," his female counterpart mused quietly as she flopped in the grass next to her sister.

Even though the rising moon cast the sky into a darkened state, her silver eyes shined like stars, reminding him once again of a cat: of course he wouldn't tell her that aloud. Ever since the incident with the panther tribe, the word "cat" usually made a dark aura appear around her and a dangerous look cross in her pretty face, so he (being smarter than his idiot baby brother) deemed it unwise and just plain idiotic to mention the word in her presence.

"I know, I keep getting this weird feeling like something is gonna happen… Kinda like the day of your wedding." Her sister mumbled, jerking him from his thoughts.

His ears twitched at the memory and he glanced at his sister-in-law before looking up at the moon to see (sure enough) that it was that scarlet color that had eclipsed the usual whiteness the night prior.

As much as he didn't believe in superstitions, he had to admit he felt something was off.  
Shouldn't those two have come back by now? And –again, refusing to believe superstition—didn't the current state of the moon pose a bad omen?

Whatever the case was, superstition or just plain paranoia, it made him bristle.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" The shrill cry of the imp made all three _yokai_ perk up, before they saw the aforementioned disciple scurry forward from the trees.

* * *

"Jaken, where's Rin?" The older of the two females present asked slowly, almost sensing the rising panic coming from her little sister.

"That's just it; she's been abducted! Naraku's incarnation Kagura came and took her!" The green imp explained boisterously.

Both sisters perked up sharply.  
"Sesshomaru," Korihime began, her voice quiet even though he could practically smell the panic and anger surging through her.

He eyed the imp with that trademark stoic and calculating stare, his ears perking as the sound of buzzing hornets hummed several hundred yards away from where they stood; both females in his pack perked up and then stiffened at the stench that blew in with the nightly breeze.

Half-breed vermin.

"Let me assure you, Lord Sesshomaru… and you two as well, Princesses of the West. If you heed my request, I shall return Rin in good health." Naraku stated calmly, bowed before the trio of _yokai_ donned in his trademark baboon pelt.

"So, what scheme do you have up your sleeve this time?" Sesshomaru wondered, his tone making it sound like he was listening to a business pitch.

"Nothing special; I simply want you to kill InuYasha."

The sound of the string creaking in her long bow shattered the tensed silence as Korihime aimed an arrow at the puppet. "What's this, you don't have the gall to do it yourself? In case you haven't noticed, InuYasha is three times the stronger half-breed compared to a disgusting wretch like you, Naraku." She spat frostily.

Both _daiyokai_ inwardly sighed; even though the youngest of their original trio vehemently claimed to not like the aforementioned _hanyou_, they both couldn't deny that she held something akin to attraction to him, even though he was basically unobtainable because of a certain priestess, as well as their difference in breed of _yokai_ and… lineage.

He snickered, "temper, little queen; I had no knowledge that your lovesick sister taught you to love for half-demons such as InuYasha." He mused.

She bristled annoyedly and a growl brewed in her throat as her blue eyes turned steely.

The _Inu-Daiyokai_ huffed. "Why are you going to all the trouble of something so trivial? Kori." He smirked slightly.

The arrow flew at the puppet, ripping the head off as the rest of it crumpled into a smoking pile of rubble.

"Does Naraku honestly think I would follow what he says by endangering the life of a simple mortal?" He wondered more to himself.  
His sister-in-law huffed, slinging her bow and quiver over her right shoulder and starting to walk away.

"Where on earth are you going?" He called patiently, seeing her turn and look him in the eye, gold clashing with blue.

"Where else? To save Rin." She answered confidently.

Her sister scowled reprovingly. "Kori-chan, you and I both know its blackmail. If that disgusting bastard managed to snag Rin then there's no stopping him from doing the same with you." She declared.

"Onee-chan, he's going to kill her! If anything, it's the first thing on his mind. Rin isn't blood, but she is pack, and she's my responsibility as a pup-sitter." She argued, turning back to start walking.

"You're being reckless." He stated, perking her ears.

She scowled over at him, a mirror image of her older sibling. "If you're being so indifferent about her, don't follow me. I can save Rin just fine on my own…" She began to state confidently.

"And when did you hear me say that I was not going as well?" Sesshomaru interjected, seeing her turn again with slightly wide blue eyes; he huffed. "I am the head of this pack, aren't I? It'd be foolish of me to let two members be slain by a vile pest such as Naraku." He stated.

"Sesshomaru," Getsu mused softly.

Korihime nodded slightly, smirking. "Well then, shake a leg, fluffy." She mused, turning to sprint away into the darkness.

He rolled his eyes. "Now I see the resemblance. Let's go." He looked at his mate and held her stare gently.

She nodded, smiling and squeezing his hand in hers. "It'd be unfair to let Kori have all the fun." She jibed, flanking his side as he flew after his sister-in-law's charge.

The imp scrambled after the trio of _yokai_, reminiscent of two centuries back when it was just the four of them.

::::::::xXx::::::::

"Why did you stop, milord; is something the matter?" The imp asked in confusion.  
He glanced at his two companions. "You sense it too."

The _Okami-Daiyokai_ bristled slightly. "It reeks of his demonic aura."

"Got that right. The question is, where is the place he's keeping her?" Her younger sister mused, frowning softly.

The air infront of them rippled until the sight of a dark castle came into view, surprising the imp.

"I think you spoke too soon, nee-chan," she mused with a light jab to her ribs.

He looked at the girls. "C'mon." He stepped forward into the opening of the barrier, both sisters flanking him, leaving the imp to yelp and then scurry after their lead.

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A/N: sorry for the cliffhanger, its just that i plan to have the fight scenes in the next chap so this was like a prologue.  
other than that, Getsu didn't really know how to concentrate her demonic power (or "_yoki_" as i've read it's also called) into flying so that's why this chap opens with Sesshomaru teaching her how to do as such. who knew he could be a patient teacher? lol _/gets bricked_

anywho, until next chap, see ya!


	24. Diamonds - Fading (pt02)

A/N: where we last left off, Sesshomaru, Getsu and Korihime had gone to take an abducted Rin back from the confines of Naraku's castle. but why has Naraku abducted the girl: what is he planning..? enjoy the chap!

(**ALSO**! i keep forgetting to do this: "_**baka-inu**_" - lit. _stupid dog _/ "_**baka-inu-hanyou**_" - _stupid half-demon dog_)

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

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_**Chapter 24: Diamonds - Fading (pt.02)**_

"You purposely leaked your scent so that we would follow you here to your castle." He noted, his tone almost sounding as if he had thought their enemy's tactic was impressive… for a _hanyou_.

Spouts of blue fire ignited in the two torches standing next to the high porch of the main building, burning brightly against the foggy backdrop of the castle's closed-in courtyard.

"Would you have come otherwise?" The perpetrator for their latest pursuit drawled casually from the darker recesses of the main building before their quartet, appearing from out of the darkness sitting before them on the porch in his favored pelt. "I regret to inform you that the mortal girl you seek is not here in my castle; the miasma alone would kill her. The girl is under my protection outside the castle's walls; I assure you that she's not hurt… for now, that is."

He seemed amused by the last four words as if they were a private joke.

Both sisters stiffened slightly as they instantly noticed that this was no mere demon puppet: this was the real Naraku, in the flesh… and right infront of them.

_Of course it would be completely stupid to try and kill him now_, the older of the two siblings mused grimly as her inner beast growled at the thought, her face turning blank to effortlessly hide any emotion that vile shithead would catch on to in a heartbeat. _Knowing Naraku, being the conniving and twisted bastard that he is, he has a contingency plan. If one of us slays his body, he'll just regenerate by consuming another _yokai_ or work through one of his incarnations like Kagura_, she thought.

"Naraku, do me the honor of recognizing that I am not here simply to save Rin." Sesshomaru drawled stiffly, briefly earning a look from the youngest of their trio before her face blanked quickly and she stared ahead as if slipping into thought.

His female counterpart inwardly snorted; _of course you're not, and I'm part lizard_, she thought, refraining from smirking at his outright bluff and keeping her face a blank slate.

"Of course: you of all people despise taking orders from others. You would not kill InuYasha when told to do so, neither did you come to look for the girl; I realize that you are here to kill me… _All three of you_." He kept the drawl in his voice, making the youngest of the trio of _yokai_'s skin crawl as she bristled silently.

Her fingers ached to rip his face off with her now-sharp claws but she instead rested the fingers of her right hand on the silver hilt of her heirloom Mangetsuga.

Even though she was expecting her sister to fire a retort as she would've done given the situation, she in fact remained stoic, almost mirroring their 'pack leader', save a few differences.

Said silver-haired _daiyokai_ smirked in derision coated with a dangerous tinge that made his mate valiantly fight to keep from letting her blank-faced façade drop. "You sound as if you've led us into a trap." He cracked his knuckles as his sister-in-law wordlessly placed an arrow in the string of her long bow, the bow kept at her side as she refrained from lifting it to aim at the vile _hanyou_. "Perhaps I should have you explain it later… if you survive the night, that is." His tone was downright dangerous, making a shiver roll down the ebony-haired _daiyokai_'s spine as he could almost hear her beast hum pleasedly with his rising irritation towards the man they had been pursuing for over two hundred years.

Naraku chuckled blackly, seeming to smirk beneath the blue baboon skull that concealed his face. "Lord Sesshomaru, I'm honored by your visit; as to you two orphaned princesses, I am especially honored to see you both here and still in one piece. Your vengeance against my slaughtering of your pathetic clan of dogs must be killing your sanity… But I digress. Though in return, I will gladly and whole-heartedly accept your challenge…!"

He seemed to groan the last sentence, loud creaking sounding from where he sat as long and assorted variations of demon limbs stretched out from beneath his shelter of the pelt, ripping it apart effortlessly as he towered over the trio of _yokai_ in his pale human skin with long brown hair and malicious red eyes that sneered down at his "guests".

"_**Fuck**__._" Both sisters grumbled in chorus.

:::::::xXx::::::::

He almost wanted to snort in disgust at the sight. "A collection of rejected demons." He –being the master of keeping a straight and emotionless face—stared up at the towering _hanyou_ with a blank stare and bored-looking gold eyes. "Is this your true form Naraku?" He wondered in an almost-amused tone.

He sneered, "'true form'? No… my body is far from being complete." One long brown insect leg arched and struck out at the ground beneath the quartet's feet.

The trio of _yokai_ dodged the clumsy swipe easily, whereas the imp squawked in fear and scurried out of the crossfire to a safe hiding place.

"So you'll destroy us simply for not doing as you wished?" He drawled snidely, easily sensing his mate and her sister's auras pulse slowly as they stood at his back.

The youngest of the trio's ears twitched and she stole a look over her shoulder to see the red gaze of Kagura; she bristled and flashed a fang, being nudged sharply by her sister that she looked at sharply. "Onee-chan," she murmured.

She shook her head slightly, a silver eye meeting her confused blue stare as she wordlessly conveyed the message.  
'_She's not our priority_'.

He drew the Tokijin, severing two sets of three limbs that sailed at him.

She glared at Naraku as the arrow became consumed in a pink glow before she fired, the arrow piercing through four limbs that were raised to block her oncoming projectile; it ripped into the right shoulder of the _hanyou_, almost making him grimace from the intensity of the arrow's glow.

A wide torrent of blue wolf fire screamed at him when he briefly turned his eyes away from the trio, incinerating the trio of limbs that charged at the oncoming beam of fire, before three more limbs shaped like dragon's limbs flew at the insolent female _daiyokai_.

They split up as her sister and mate flew to the side; she drew her katana and swung out sharply at the limbs, green energy shaped in a wide arc destroying them on contact.

Five varied limbs came at her, slightly surprising her, before she swiftly flicked her wrist and sent a spout of blue fire at the oncoming limbs, leaping back to land nimbly on one foot as her mate sidled up to her side out of defense, Tokijin bared.

"Naraku, you're a pathetic demon: you'll never have the power or resources to ever harm me." Sesshomaru growled.

Naraku chortled softly as one of the limbs the _Inu-Daiyokai_ had cut off earlier twitched as it reformed itself and then latched onto his left calf.

Getsu perked up slightly before she glared up at the _hanyou_, bristling. _Now what's he planning?_ She wondered.

Several gangly blue limbs sailed at the couple; he shoved her out of the way, making her yelp slightly, before he sliced at the limbs with Tokijin.

More limbs like the first gangly blue ones sailed at him as he leaped into the air.

"**Nagareboshi-kaen Taiho**!" A wide barrage of blue fire dispelled the limbs effortlessly, slightly surprising her mate; smoke rose up from her palms in thin wisps as she panted softly, flicking her wrists to be rid of the smoke.

_'My wolf fire has two stages: '**Nagareboshi-kaen**', which allows me to send out a wide beam or flamethrower of blue flames; and then '**Nagareboshi-kaen Taiho**', which is an evolved form of the first stage, acting as a wide and powerful wall of blue fire. The difference between the two stages is that the second one chips away at my demonic power at least twice as much as the first stage would if I used it consistently.'_

_She'd smiled cheekily, her silver eyes sheepish._

_'My father was the only remaining member of his clan to use the wolf fire he passed down to me; it skips a generation so it was a miracle I was the one to inherit it instead of my sister, considering I'm the firstborn. But his grandfather was the first_ okami-yokai_ to use it, and it was said that he once destroyed a small forest with just an ounce of his anger and wolf fire alone!'_

_A sliver of sorrow mixed with wistfulness had flickered in her pretty face before it faded quickly when she'd looked up at his gold eyes to see if he had soaked in enough of the information she had given regarding her inherited powers._

Naraku's cackle stirred him from reminiscing as he stole a look at his mate to see she still stood tall, gripping the hilt of her katana now in both hands. "So it appears you have gotten stronger as well, Princess Getsuei… Of course the fact that you are of the last _Okami-Daiyokai_ of the West qualifies you to inherit your pathetic mongrel of a father's powers… The powers I should have consumed long ago!" Five limbs shaped like green dragon's tails sailed at her.

A wave of ice screamed at the limbs, freezing them on sight and surprising the _hanyou_.

"If you keep insulting my father's name it won't be my sister who will rip you apart, half-breed." Korihime snarled frostily, landing nimbly next to her sister with another arrow poised and at the ready to fire, her blue eyes dangerous.

Getsu nodded to her, perking up as another three large limbs sailed at the sisters.

"Dragon Strike!" A torrent of blue energy destroyed the limbs instantly, keeping them at bay from the two females of his pack… _his family_.

"Sesshomaru," his sister-in-law began quietly in slight relief, watching a scrap of the limbs drop onto his shoulder from the blow, looking mushy and deformed.

"Just how long do you intend to keep up this ludicrous farce?" Sesshomaru wondered coldly.

_Is he doing what I think he's trying to do?_ His mate wondered in slowly-rising horror before the horror was mixed with anger. _This is what he was trying to do since day one!_ She thought.

_That bastard…!_

A look of fear crossed his face, his red eyes widening alertly; of course this didn't bypass the trio of _yokai_.

"Kagura, after him." He commanded as the wind _yokai_ spirited away.

Getsu looked at her sister. "Kori, follow her." She urged quietly.

Korihime nodded, sparing the vile _hanyou_ a dirty look, before she disappeared from sight.

"An unexpected guest, Naraku?" Sesshomaru drawled, sounding taunting. "How very unfortunate for you; I would imagine his journey here would end in vain… By the time he arrives, you'll be dead!" He swung Tokijin, sending the same blue blast of the Dragon Strike at the _hanyou_, destroying the various limbs surrounding him.

She shot a look at the various scattered scraps of limbs around their feet, her ears twitching as she saw some of them twitching and trying to reform back into what they once were before being cut down_. Is this all he has for an offense?_  
She mentally scolded herself for thinking such a stupid thing.  
_Of course not; knowing him, there's something else up his sleeve… That's just how Naraku works_, she thought grimly, growling under her breath.

:::::::xXx:::::::

"**Black Frost**!" A wide barrage of dark colored ice shards screamed at the wind demon, sending her leaping back and out of the way of the surprise attack.

The _hanyou_ blinked in surprise before he caught sight of the cobalt-haired female as she walked stiff-leggedly to his side. "Korihime!"

She smiled at him, huffing and turning her gaze to the surprised female demon, the humming of the hornets behind her starting to get on her nerves. "You can thank me later. So Kagura, why the hesitation? Naraku told you to get rid of the "disturbance" didn't he? Or are you as weak as I believed you to be?" She drawled, cracking her knuckles and bristling slightly.

The Wind Sorceress scoffed. "Piss off, brat. This isn't a fight you should stick your nose in!" She flicked her wrist, sending a wide barrage of wind-blades at the two; both of them dodged it quickly, landing lithely a few feet away.

"Who the hell are you to bark orders at me?" A wide barrage of ice screamed at her, throwing her footing off as she dodged the attack; a clawed hand gripped her throat as she was knocked down, red eyes wide as she looked at the dangerous blue orbs of the wolf princess.

"You're just the pathetic incarnation of that shitbag you swear loyalty to... Or **_don't_** swear loyalty to." She saw her red eyes sharpen at this deduction; she huffed, slightly lessening the grip she held. "Regardless, if you hurt my pack in my presence, I'll gladly kill you. Got it?" She growled, digging her claws into the sides of her windpipe.

She propelled a foot into the younger she-wolf's gut, sending her flying back as she hopped to her feet, fan drawn and open. "What the hell gives you the fucking right to know shit about my life?" She spat as the wind danced around her, her opponent straightening with help from the _hanyou_ at her side.

"I don't know much about the whole vassal and master business, given that I'm the runt of the litter, but I do know oppression when I see it." Korihime replied stonily, her own aura flowing around her and looking like pink frost, as she cracked her knuckles.

Kagura's lip curled before her ears perked as she looked back to see an oncoming horde of lesser demons charging forward to the scene. _Good, they can take care of these two_, she thought, pulling a feather from her hair and leaping into the air as the horde dropped down. "This isn't over, wolf brat; not by a long shot." She hollered before fleeing into the darkness.

InuYasha huffed as his female comrade drew two arrows from her quiver and aimed at the oncoming demons. "This should be easy; **Wind Scar**!" a wave of yellow demonic energy screamed at the first round from the red Tetsusaiga, before a second round sailed at them.

"If they weren't so annoying, I'd agree!" Korihime fired, igniting the second round in the pale pink light and destroying them instantly, setting another arrow in her bow and firing again.

"Hey, wouldn't your sister be pissed off that you're out here fighting Naraku on your own?" He asked as they charged forward, destroying as many demons as possible that stood in their way.

She huffed and beat down one of the demons with her bow, severing the head of another with her claws. "If she weren't doing the same thing in his castle, then yeah."

His gold eyes sharpened and he looked at her. "Why is she… is Sesshomaru with her?" He asked alertly, sending another blast of the Wind Scar at the demons.

"Yeah, they're both in there; Getsu sent me out here after Kagura when Naraku sensed you breaking through his barrier. Imagine my surprise to see you out here," she explained, ripping through the throat of another demon before ducking as he destroyed more demons at her left side.

"What'd Naraku do now, insult Sesshomaru's hair care products?" InuYasha snorted.

Korihime laughed, firing another arrow at the oncoming wave and destroying them instantly. "Not even. He abducted one of ours so we came to rescue them. Your brother of course came because he wanted to kill Naraku."

He cocked a brow in confusion. "Hang on, I thought it was just you two and him and Jaken… Don't tell me there's another demon with you guys." He asked.

She shrugged. "No, they're not a demon." She hesitated before sighing and looking him in the eye. "If you tell a soul about what I'm about to tell you, I'll freeze your idiot ass for a month." He bristled at the threat but nodded nonetheless; she exhaled. "It's a little girl named Rin. I've been babysitting her when Getsu and Sesshomaru leave, so she's the reason I'm out here, other than my sister that is. That's why you didn't see me that day Sesshomaru picked up his Tokijin. Does that make sense?" She explained patiently, feeling sort of relieved that she had gotten that off her chest.

His dog ears perked. "So you guys have been travelling with a human girl? Sesshomaru hates humans, he said so himself!" He barked.

"Keep your voice down, _baka-inu_." She whacked the back of his head sharply, ignoring the growled curse and death glare he sent at her. "I know he does, or he did, but Rin is our pack now and that's why he's here to kill Naraku. Don't blab to anyone, especially your pack, and I won't tell Sesshomaru about your "issue". Deal?" She declared, glaring at his gold eyes and holding his indignant stare.

InuYasha huffed and looked away at last, reluctantly backing down. "Deal. That reminds me, about that night you saw… well, what you saw, I forgot to congratulate you on kicking Koga's ass." He saw her blink in surprise before she looked at him slowly. "Never thought I'd be sayin' that to a girl, especially a pedigree wolf princess, but I'm glad you stood up to that arrogant jackass, Kori."

He smirked slightly, the simple slight smirk making his usual gruffness and ruthless demeanor fade to remind her that he was just one century younger than her.

Korihime blushed and coughed, looking away humbly. "It wasn't much. I mean, Koga is just like any man…" He growled and his ears flicked in annoyance, making her laugh quietly. "Except certain _baka-inu-hanyou_, that is." She lifted her gaze and smiled teasingly.

He snorted and jabbed his elbow into her ribs. "Shut up, I'm not the one rushin' in to fight a bitch like Kagura." He growled.

She giggled and smirked again, pulling playfully on one of his white ears. "Of course you're not, _baka-inu_, of course." She sighed.

::::::xXx:::::::

"**NO**!" She sprinted at the _hanyou_ angrily, her aura flaring with her murderous intent.

He slightly turned his head to glare at her over his shoulder, gold eyes piercing. "**Stay back, Getsu**!" He snarled, seeing surprise and horror make her face pale.

She skidded to a halt, eyes wide. "Sesshomaru!" She began, her voice risen an octave in surmounting panic.

"Do as I say and stay away. **_Now_**, Getsuei." He thundered, seeing her flinch at his tone and usage of her full name: he didn't want her to have her powers taken by Naraku, and he would be damned if that happened when he could just as easily prevent such a thing from happening.

She gritted her teeth and nodded curtly, leaping back and watching with growing anger at both herself and Naraku as the large green limbs coiled around him like a snake, slowly consuming him until the limbs had formed into a tower of mushy green glob that acted as a shell around the _daiyokai_ in their clutches.

Naraku cackled, directing her attention to him. "So the mighty Princess Getsuei can feel fear after all! Though it's a shame that you will soon be alone, just as you were intended to be that night I slayed your clan. Don't be sad, my beautiful princess: you can join your precious mate in the afterlife!" He sent a rain of various limbs at the she-wolf.

A wall of blue fire curved like a wave as it destroyed the limbs and kept them from getting at her, surprising him.

"You may have stolen my clan and my home from me two hundred years ago, tried to kill the man I love, but the last thing you're ever going to get is my power that I'm going to destroy you with, Naraku." A wide torrent of blue fire screamed at him, destroying the oncoming limbs, as she sprinted at him, drawing her katana.

His lip curled in a snarl as he chuckled blackly. "So you choose to die a warrior's death after all: very befitting the title of an unfit _Okami-Daiyokai!_" A wall of varied limbs sailed at her.

"**_WOLF'S CRESCENT_**_!_" She roared, swinging the blade sharply and sending a large arc of blue-green energy screaming at the limbs, destroying them instantly; she leaped atop the exploding limbs to get higher into the air, concentrating her demonic power into the soles of her feet so she rose high overhead, hovering several feet above the _hanyou_.

"Sesshomaru, I know you can hear me. I love you, you arrogant _baka-inu_. Don't forget that!" She cracked her knuckles and glowered at Naraku's red eyes. "You've fucked with the wrong clan." She flicked her wrist and swung her claws out at him, sending a beam of blue fire at his face.

A spindly brown insect leg sailed at her out of the corner of her eye, ripping into her left side and sending her flying down.

"**HOWLING BLIZZARD**!" A feral snarl sounded before a wide wave of ice froze the _hanyou_ on sight, freezing the cocoon that encased her mate.

A soft grunt sounded before a pair of arms caught her from making a direct hit with the ground; she looked up at her savior to meet a pair of big gold eyes framed by locks of wild silver hair. "InuYasha?" She breathed in surprise.

He huffed and gently set her down, catching whiff of her blood. "Been a while. Your side," he began when he saw the stained green fabric of her obi.

Getsu shook her head, meeting his gold stare and smiling tiredly. "It's just a scratch, I'll be fine. Thank you for saving me," she replied.

InuYasha smirked wryly and nodded. "Don't mention it. I gotta admit that was pretty reckless, chargin' like that at a disgusting piece of ratshit like Naraku." He replied, keeping the smirk.

She snorted and slugged his shoulder affectionately. "Piss off, _baka-inu_."

"So a little paper-cut obviously doesn't do much to the almighty _daiyokai_." Her sister mused as she trotted forward, her bow slung over her shoulder casually and slight scratches on her face.

"Kori-chan," she glanced at the frozen form of Naraku and smirked widely, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "Of course not." She chuckled.

The sound of breaking glass rang out as the cocoon encasing Sesshomaru broke from the coldness of the ice encasing it, and the once-captured _daiyokai_ stood there with Tokijin acting as a barrier.

"Sesshomaru!" InuYasha and Korihime barked in surprise.

"Sesshomaru!" Getsu beamed in relief.

He looked at the frozen dirt courtyard and then at the trio, huffing. "I had a feeling that was your demonic energy I was sensing, Korihime." He mused, accepting the embrace from his mate and holding onto her waist before both of their younger siblings moved forward to group with him.

She shrugged innocently. "You're welcome."

The _hanyou_ looked at the frozen form of Naraku and huffed, leaning Tetsusaiga against his shoulder casually. "So what do we do with him? One blast alone will kill him, but at the same time it seems too easy to do." He wondered.

"Dunno, but we'd better act fast before…"

The ice was starting to break.

Both sisters sighed. "**That happens**." They finished in chorus as the ice shattered completely.

Naraku cackled as he grinned malevolently at the quartet. "I must admit that was a brilliant thought, Korihime, freezing me like that… all for your precious brother-in-law to escape my clutches." He drawled.

Korihime growled and cracked her knuckles. "It's a damn shame the ice didn't freeze your running mouth." She grumbled.

Sesshomaru nodded to his mate, "stay at my back." He instructed.

Getsu nodded, "right."

"Both of you move it, I'm the one taking him down!" InuYasha declared, scowling at his brother.

He snorted, "No, Naraku belongs to **me**."

Both females deadpanned. _Good grief, this is worse than with the panther tribe_, the older of the two sisters mused with a sweatdrop.

"I'll destroy all four of you while you two bicker!" Naraku laughed as he stretched higher into the air, sending at least a dozen of his limbs at the quartet.

"_Shit_." Both younger siblings grumbled as they leaped out of the way.

"Kori, stay close to InuYasha!" Getsu barked, her aura flaring wildly as she dropped down onto the ground left leg first, making large fissures spring up and send torrents of blue fire at the limbs, destroying them on contact.

"You got it!" Korihime nodded, her body twisting as she extended both arms palm out at the limbs and froze the ones sailing at her, using her long bow and slamming it down onto the frozen limbs, shattering them.

"**Wind Scar**!" InuYasha slammed the fang down on the ground, sending a torrent of yellow demonic energy screaming at the vile half-breed, destroying the limbs on the right of him.

"_Getsu, now!_" Sesshomaru barked as he lifted Tokijin, seeing her aura turn lilac as she raised Mangetsuga.

"**DRAGON STRIKE**!"

"**DYING WOLF'S BLOOD**!"

A combined wave of cool blue and bright green energy screamed at the _hanyou_, surprising him as his face blanched in horror.

What was left of his body shot out wisps of purple miasma and he disappeared in a thick cloud of the poisonous gas until it formed into a twister and rose high into the air, his hornets swirling around the twister. "Lord Sesshomaru, Princesses of the West, I shall withdraw for now." Naraku drawled with a cackle.

His aura flared red as he bristled angrily. "_**Fool**__, how dare you try to escape my grasp!?_" He snarled, his teeth sharpened as his eyes shifted to the same shade of red.

"Sesshomaru, don't!" His sister-in-law barked as his mate grabbed onto his left sleeve and held onto it.

"**_Sesshomaru_**." She spoke his name sharply, patiently, seeming to breach past the angered wall that had risen inside him.

His red eyes sharpened at hearing her voice, before he slowly calmed down, the bristle rolling down his spine as his fangs lessened to return to his normal sharp teeth; he looked down at the one grabbing his sleeve, meeting her calmed silver orbs that held worry for his sanity's sake.

"Rather than transforming and hunting me down, shouldn't you instead be worrying about the safety of that mortal girl?" Naraku drawled. "Your human companion Rin is with the boy named Kohaku; InuYasha, even you should realize the implications." His voice faded along with the twister, the hornets flying away into the darkness.

"Onee-chan," the younger female began quietly as she sheathed her katana.

Getsu nodded to her. "Go on ahead and find her; the scent of human shouldn't be hard to trace." She ordered.

Korihime nodded back, looking at InuYasha. "Come on, you're coming too; your pack is probably there for all we know." She declared, dragging him off by the wrist.

"Sesshomaru," she looked at him again as he returned Tokijin to his side, lifting a hand to touch his cheek. "Are you alright?" She asked quietly.

He held her hand to his cheek, looking at the blood stain on her left side. "Your wound," he began, seeing her shake her head.

"It's just a scratch. I'm fine now." She looked sad for a moment before she smiled slightly. "C'mon, let's go get her." She declared.  
He nodded, holding onto her waist and rising up into the air.

* * *

"_Rin!_" A sharp kick to the head sent the boy sprawling back, the chain from the sickle flying from the girl's ankles.

She scooped the girl up in her arms, relieved to see that she was still breathing; she smiled, lifting a hand to brush locks of brown hair from her face. "Thank God." She muttered her ears twitching as the boy stood; she bristled as she realized that he was under some sort of spell.

_This must be the boy Naraku mentioned_, she thought, perking up as he gripped the sickle in hand and turned to her; she bared her teeth and growled, holding the girl closer.

The boy stiffened and looked over his shoulder at the _Inu-Daiyokai_ standing behind him, the chain clinking as he turned to face him.

"Sesshomaru," she began quietly.

He sort of smirked at the miniscule threat the boy posed. "Oh, so you turn your blade against me?" He wondered coldly.

"**Kohaku**!"

The _hanyou_'s fist crashed into his jaw, sending the boy flying again. "What the hell do you think you're **doing** you fool!?" He barked.  
Both Kagome and Korihime moved to Getsu's side, anxious to check on the girl in her arms.

"She's all right, just knocked out." Getsu assured them quietly, looking from one female to the other and nodding.

"Y'hear that? She's gonna be alright, so just let the boy go." InuYasha declared, scowling at his brother.

Sesshomaru spared his mate a look before he returned the scowl. "Don't try to interfere, InuYasha; it's obviously apparent that this boy wants to die by my hand." He returned.

Kohaku lunged, swinging the sickle at him; InuYasha deflected it with his Tetsusaiga before Sesshomaru stole past him and lifted the boy up by the throat, glaring at his emotionless brown eyes.

"Sesshomaru, put him down!" Korihime barked.

"Put the boy down." InuYasha growled as he brandished Tetsusaiga.

_There's no fear in his eyes, nor is there physical pain; I can't stand the look in his eyes_. Sesshomaru thought as he glared at the boy a moment longer before dropping him.

Both sisters sighed in relief.

The girl roused, making the trio of females look down at her, before she opened her brown eyes and looked at the _Inu-Daiyokai_. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She beamed, looking up at the silver stare of the _Okami-Daiyokai_. "Getsu-onee! And Kori-onee too!" She chirped, looking at the scene before her and seeing Kohaku on the ground, frowning softly. "What's wrong, Kohaku?" She asked quietly.

The boy hesitated before he hopped to his feet and hurried away into the darkness of the trees nearby; the wind picked up before he was seen fleeing with Kagura atop a large feather.

"Well that doesn't surprise me," the older of the two sisters mused, letting the girl slip out of her arms.

"Sesshomaru, thank you for not killing Kohaku." The priestess declared, smiling at the older brother.

Sesshomaru huffed quietly. "That boy was willing to die by my hand, so it was easy to deduce that Naraku was behind it all." He grumbled.

InuYasha balked, "you knew that?"

"What kind of idiot do you take me for, half-breed? I didn't kill him simply because I refuse to play by Naraku's rules. Let's go." He snorted, turning his back on the _hanyou_ and priestess and walked away into the trees.

Rin hurried after him.

Korihime sighed and smiled over at the priestess, looking at the _hanyou_ and winking. "Later, puppy boy." She pecked his cheek before trotting after the two.

Getsu rolled her eyes and chuckled at the blushing and disgruntled half-breed, nodding. "See you two later!" She declared with a casual wave as she followed her mate's trail, folding her arms behind her head.

* * *

A/N: long chap again. ahah i told you there would be fight scenes and weren't there? xD  
anywho, not much else to put except that the next chap might be a filler, not sure yet. until then, see ya!


	25. Born to Live

A/N: this chap is a filler mostly compliments of yours truly, the rest of it a filler compliments of the anime. not much else to put except that reviews are well loved here so drop one sometime. anywho, on with the chap!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 25: Born to Live**_

So far the day was without incident.

He had sent the imp to tend to the dragon and both his sister-in-law and the girl were off picking flowers at the girl's insistence, both promising they would return before the day was done… leaving him alone with his mate. It had been a while since they were actually alone and not facing some sort of threat.

It was actually very nice to be alone with her on a day like this.

She yelped as she fell onto the grass, jerking him from his thoughts.

He blinked once before looking at her spread-eagle form lying face-first into the green ground and he coughed to hide a chuckle at how amusing she looked. "If you're trying to fly, might I suggest bird wings?" He mused, his tone teasing.

Ever since she claimed she had used her flying power in the battle with Naraku, she had been trying to outdo her original ten-minute-span and stay airborne longer.

She lifted her head up from the grass and spat out a small mouthful of green blades, pouting up at him with dirt and scratches on her face. "Piss off or I'll kick your ass higher than a bird can fly, _baka-inu_." She growled.

He chuckled this time, seeming content. "I'd love to see you try, princess." He taunted lightly.

Getsu huffed, shuffling before nimbly lifting to her feet, stomping over to sit with him in the shade of an apple blossom tree. "Don't get so cocky." She grumbled, crossing her arms at her chest as she plopped down at his right side, stretching her legs out in the sun.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and smirked, lifting his hand to wipe the smudges of dirt from her cheeks and chin. "Since when did you consider me an '_idiot dog_'?" He wondered calmly.

She pursed her lips and scrunched her face slightly with his cleaning, blushing. "Since the other day when you scared the hell outta me." She mumbled.

"Hn." He nodded sagely, the teasing light faltering slightly at the memory. "I had a feeling you were spooked." He mused quietly.

She nodded slightly, lowering her gaze. "Of course I was; you're the only man I've given my heart to so the thought of your death scares me… And the thought that Naraku was close to killing you…" She trailed off as an angered growl rumbled in her chest, her hands at her ribs balling into fists as her claws dug small crescents in her palms.

"I can't promise that death is inevitable, only on account of the fact that even demons die eventually, but I can promise that even if we're not going to marry one day, the one thing I can do is stay at your side." Sesshomaru stated in a soft tone, his gold eyes hardening in his determination that often amazed her and made her shiver when seeing it clearly written across his handsome face.

Getsu nodded again, slightly blushing when his clawed fingers gently tipped her chin up so he could see her face; she met his gold stare and her own silver eyes softened. "I'm glad to know that, though don't think you can shoulder things on your own. Just as you promise to stay at my side I'm promising the same for you, and that includes my being there to help you."

He smiled slightly and shook his head, leaning in to kiss her forehead before he exhaled and nosed the widow's peak on the top of her forehead. "Of course, and I wouldn't have it any other way." He replied.

She blushed and smiled, kissing him before snuggling into his side, feeling his arm encircle her waist and squeeze. "I still think you're an idiot dog for what happened at Naraku's castle," she mused.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes again, resting his cheek on the side of her head. "So what made you stop wanting to try and fly?" He asked.

Getsu shrugged innocently, leaning her cheek on the fluffy surface of his stole. "I kept falling." She mumbled, sounding embarrassed.

He chuckled, hearing her grumble incoherently as she buried her face into the stole, looking down at her. "I could teach you, again. If you're willing." He offered.

She blinked and looked up at him, cocking her head to one side. "Really?"

He made a face. "I did say I could teach you." He mused.

Getsu nodded, blushing and nosing his neck before kissing him sweetly. "Sounds good." She smiled.

Sesshomaru smirked gently and tousled her hair, letting her hop to her feet, looking giddy and excited as a puppy; he shook his head softly and straightened calmly, still coming to a head taller than her. "Try standing in the air for… ten minutes. If you can stay like that for said amount of time, then we'll try for fifteen. Deal?"

She nodded vigorously before she bounced her weight from one foot to the other. "You got it!" She giggled, smirking before she lifted into the air almost with ease.

He looked up at her as she climbed to well over twenty feet above the ground, lifting his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight of the lazy afternoon. "Good, now stay there for ten minutes." _If she manages to stay up for fifteen or even twenty, a little aerial combat practice should be in order_, he mused.

She nodded, looking past the trees at the clear blue sky around her, a gentle breeze playing with her ebony hair she had kept in a high ponytail for the day, smiling to herself. "You look shorter from this angle." She declared playfully, smiling down at him.

He sweatdropped and smirked up at her. "Don't get too cocky, wolf girl." He scolded gently.

She stuck her tongue out and blew him a raspberry. "Stow it, fluffy _baka-inu!_" She teased.

Sesshomaru deadpanned, exhaling patiently and refraining from dragging her down with his whip. "Okay, now try for fifteen." He instructed after having counted ten minutes in his head.

Getsu obeyed and concentrated enough of her power to place herself in a sitting position, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono top. "This is easy." _Prolly because I've done it before_, she thought proudly.

"Very good, you even managed to sit while up here." He declared as he hopped into the air to stand next to her, offering a hand of aid.

She took his hand and stood, yelping as she almost lost her footing, before his hand latched onto her hips and he pulled her to his chest reflexively, steadying her. "Thanks," she mumbled, blushing.

He nodded and let her pull away, keeping her hand. "Don't mention it. Hmm, this might put a damper on the idea of practicing in aerial combat…" He mused thoughtfully, looking pensive.

Getsu blinked and tilted her head to one side. "'Aerial combat'?" She repeated.

"It never hurt to be prepared should your enemy have an aerial advantage over you in battle." Sesshomaru replied sagely.

She pouted slightly and sighed, nodding. "Fair enough."

He tilted his head to one side, seeing her smile in amusement at his dog-like gesture. "If you don't want to go through with it, we don't have to…" He began.

She shrugged and bounced around, letting go of his hand to hover circles around him. "Can't we do it another day?" She proposed absently.

Sesshomaru sweatdropped again and exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course… Will you stop doing that? You're starting to make me dizzy." He griped, scowling patiently at her.

Getsu folded her arms behind her head. "And if I don't stop?" She asked, her silver eyes teasing.

He growled under his breath at her antics and pouted, seeing her laugh. "I will kill you if you don't." He promised.

She looked thoughtful, tapping her chin with a clawed finger. "Hmmm… nope." She said with a light sigh, bouncing her weight from one foot to the other as she continued to spin around him.

Sesshomaru ignored the vein on his brow twitching in annoyance. "You are so impossible." He growled.

Getsu giggled and grinned cheekily. "If ya got a problem with it, attack me, oh almighty fluffy _baka-inu_." She taunted, silver eyes glittering.

He exhaled sharply through his nostrils and scowled at her with irritated gold eyes. "Must you call me that?" He lunged for her waist; she squeaked and dodged it, skirting to the side as he skidded to a halt short of where she was standing seconds ago, watching him straighten his posture.

"I'll call ya that so long as I want, darling." She winked and grinned again, reminding him once again of a fox demon.

He growled and leaped at her, narrowly missing her small waist; she leaped at least ten yards away, laughing.

"Given up?" Getsu teased, blinking as she felt a spike in his aura; she dodged the yellow-green whip he sent at her, narrowly dodging another swipe as she bounced around on the balls of her feet.

Sesshomaru huffed. "Not even close." He cracked the whip and sent it at her, the whip grabbing hold of her wrist and pulling her closer.

She growled and severed the whip with a quick spout of blue fire from her right hand's claws, leaping away before her foot brushed against a treetop, breaking her concentration; she yelped as she failed to re-grasp the concentration and was sent tumbling to the ground.

He exhaled as he used his stole this time, sending it at her and watching it coil around her waist like a snake, pulling her up from her dive to the ground and to his side. "Very close." He mused.

Getsu blushed and inwardly noted that the stole felt good, folding her arms across her chest. "Don't act so pious, _baka-inu_." She grumbled sorely.

Sesshomaru chuckled, looking smug, as he pulled her into his arm, holding onto her hips as the stole receded to coil around his right shoulder. "Have I angered my doting student?" He asked coyly.

Her cheeks flared that reddish pink color he adored most, shoving against his chest armor. "Shove off, fluffy…" She yelped as she almost lost her footing again before he snagged her waist and pulled her close again.

He tsked. "You're being more rebellious than usual today." He mused with a sigh.

She huffed again. "And you're being more perverse than usual." She rebutted.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and squeezed her waist. "Can you blame me for being possessive of the woman I love?" He teased slightly.

Getsu blushed again and looked away shyly. "Well, no…" She mumbled.

He tilted his head to one side. "What is it?"

"You basically said you love me." She mused softly, making his ears twitch.

Sesshomaru looked away and slightly blushed, huffing as he regained his usual confident composure and looked down at her. "Do you not like it?" He asked.

Getsu shook her head, looking sheepish. "No, I mean, I… I love you, too." Her cheeks burned and she looked away this time, fiddling with a few locks of fur from his stole.

His gold eyes widened slightly before they softened and looked like melted golden orbs. "I'm glad." He mused quietly.

She nodded and blushed, feeling herself smile at seeing the soft and happy look he held in his stare, her own silver eyes softening, before she lifted herself up on her tip-toes a little to kiss him slowly.

He smiled and kissed back, squeezing her waist as he deepened the kiss to remind her that he was her mate and that he was a damn good kisser.

Getsu blushed again, sliding her arms to drape over the back of his shoulders.

Sesshomaru held onto her waist tight out of possession as he gently lowered them to the ground, his arm leaving her waist once their feet hit the grass and curling his fingers in her hair, cradling the back of her head.

She smiled happily, knowing in the back of her mind that her father would be proud that she had finally found happiness with someone, even if that someone was a powerful _daiyokai_ like Sesshomaru.

* * *

Both sisters' ears twitched when they heard the girl's stomach growl.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I'm starting to get hungry; may I go get something to eat?" The girl asked humbly.

The younger of the two sisters deadpanned when the imp scolded her for speaking out of turn, whacking him upside the head with her long bow. "Quit berating her, she's just a pup, you undersized frog. Rin, go on, we'll stop and wait." She scolded, looking at the girl and winking.

She nodded and smiled lightly, sliding off the dragon's back to scamper off in search of food.

He smirked slightly. "Well I never thought I would see the day you act more like your sister, Kori." He mused.

She scowled at him, a vein twitching on her temple.  
**_THWACK_**.

A large bump swelled on his head.

"And ya'd never thought you'd see the friggin' day where a girl would brain you with a long bow." She sniffed, folding her arms across her chest.

Her sister snickered at his vein-twitching expression.

"It's not funny, Getsu!" He snapped indignantly.

She smiled innocently. "I haven't the slightest idea what yer talking about, dearest."

He growled under his breath, doing his best to ignore the giggles coming from both sisters.  
Perhaps he should have left them in his home in the West after all…

A fearful scream sounded from where Rin had taken off, making all three _yokai_ perk up; he sprinted past the sisters before they flew at his heels to the scene.

Sesshomaru sliced through the large floating demon arm that had grabbed the girl with Tokijin, the aforementioned human yelping as she fell before the youngest of the trio grabbed her by the scruff and held onto her.

"That was almost too easy." Getsu mused aloud as both imp and girl praised him, earning a sweatdrop from her.

The arm's form shifted until it turned into the form of a cluster of poisonous hornets.

"Saimyosho?" Korihime wondered in surprise.

"Stay back and out of the way; Naraku left some really annoying pests." The hornets reformed into the arm again before them. "Jaken, there should be a hive nearby. Find it." He ordered.

The imp obeyed and scurried off to find the hive.

Sesshomaru blocked the swipes the arm's claws gave off, sending it back before he severed the arm down the middle of the wrist.  
The Saimyosho buzzed as they shifted out of the arm's form, sailing at a tall tree overhead.

"Jaken," he began annoyedly.

Rin gasped, pointing at where the hornets had gone to. "Look, Master Jaken, the hive!" She pointed out a cluster of at least thirteen small hornet hives glued to the side of the tree.

The hornets buzzed as they regrouped and dove at the imp and girl.

"Get down, Rin!" Jaken barked as he burned the insects with the staff of two heads before they dodged and then flew at him. "Damn those persistent pests!"

A wave of blue fire and black ice sailed at the oncoming hornets, sending the majority of them down to the ground in pieces or ashes.

Both sisters nodded before the younger of the two perked her ears as the hornets from the hive cluster buzzed angrily and sailed at the imp and girl again.

"Girls, stand back; Jaken." He ordered sharply, making both females blink and then stand aside as the imp ducked; he swung Tokijin at the tree holding the hives, destroying it and making the tree give a loud creak as it fell to the ground from the blast.

"You saved me, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken blubbered as he and the girl popped up from behind the felled tree.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin beamed.

He smirked slightly. "It's not like it wasn't a group effort," he mused, looking to his mate and sister-in-law.

Both girls smiled sheepishly before an outcry came from the imp; three Saimyosho buzzed and rose into the air from stinging his right arm, fleeing into the darkness of the wood.

"They should lead me to him; Getsu," Sesshomaru beckoned, taking off after the hornets' retreat.

"Hang on, Sesshomaru!" Korihime barked as her sister flew after him until she was at his side, sprinting after the couple.

:::::::xXx:::::::

He tilted his head to one side after checking the dead insect to see it was truly dead with a toe.

"_**BAKA-INU**!_" A howl sounded before someone tackled him from the back, making the _hanyou_ yelp and then bark curses at his attacker, yelping again when he fell face-first into the ground.

The trio of humans he traveled with plus kitsune sweatdropped.

Korihime smiled down at the captive half-breed, tugging on one of his ears. "Ironic meeting you here, InuYasha." She laughed.

InuYasha yelped again and growled, wincing when she tugged on his ear. "Great to see you too, Kori, **NOW GET OFF**!" He barked.

"Um, Korihime, what're you doing here…?" Kagome wondered, helping the female demon get off the _hanyou_'s back, letting her dust herself off.

She jerked a thumb over her shoulder infront of them. "A certain someone was following a scent in this direction and dragged us with him." She explained with a patient sigh.

"No wonder I smelled something rotten," the _hanyou_ grumbled, scowling at the sight of his older brother plus sister-in-law standing patiently yards infront of them, the latter wearing a patient smile most likely steered at the antics of her younger sibling.

Said male _daiyokai_ huffed at his comment. "What happened to the Saimyosho; did **you** kill them?" He wondered.  
He looked confused beneath the indignant scowl on his brow.  
"'Saimyosho; you mean those insects?" He returned.

"You're so short-sighted; we were following them to Naraku, but now we have nothing to lead us." Sesshomaru snapped.

InuYasha snorted, "let me make one thing clear: I didn't kill those damn bugs!"

"You have an excuse for everything, it's so tiresome." He growled, his hand lowering to the hilt of Tokijin as he drew it effortlessly.  
He huffed. "I don't have to make excuses for you; I'm tellin' the truth!"

"InuYasha isn't lying, he didn't kill them!" Kagome chimed.

Said _hanyou_ growled, drawing Tetsusaiga. "Stay outta this, Kagome; he's so damn stubborn, he never understands!"

Both female demons exhaled patiently. _There they go again.._.

"InuYasha, I'm not feeling very chivalrous today, so I won't go easy on you as I have in the past." Sesshomaru warned coldly.  
InuYasha snorted again, "Cut the crap and don't come cryin' to me afterward!"

Both of their auras spiked when their blades clashed, sparks flying.

"Good grief, those two are such idiots." Korihime grumbled as her sister trodded to stand near her, accepting the embrace from the kitsune and letting him move to sit on her shoulders.

"Sometimes even I wonder what it is I see in Sesshomaru." Getsu chimed, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono before turning to the gathered humans and flashing a sheepish smile, bowing slightly in apology. "I must apologize for this; we didn't know you lot were in this direction. We had a run-in with the hornets and… well, the rest is history." She laughed and rubbed the back of her neck.

The trio of humans shared a look before they returned the sheepish smile. "It's alright, we didn't know either. It's just that they're, well…" The priestess assured her, pausing for the correct word.

"Bull-headed _baka-inu?_" Korihime and Getsu guessed in unison, deadpanning.

The demon slayer chuckled. "Y'know, I think that describes them in a nutshell!" She declared.

Both sisters sighed.

"So it does." The monk chimed with a sheepish chuckle.

The sibling squabble continued until Sesshomaru ripped through the Wind Scar InuYasha used with the Dragon Strike from Tokijin, punting the mighty fang out of his hands and sending it flying before it landed in the ground blade-first, the hilt sticking up as it transformed back into a rusty old katana, rendering the _hanyou_ weaponless as he fell several hundred yards away from the discarded sword.

Tokijin's tip was aimed at his adam's apple, his brother standing tall over him. "I win this time; are you prepared to die, InuYasha?" He growled.

He scoffed and flashed his teeth, "I don't care about my life; just kill me and get it overwith!"

"Sesshomaru…" Getsu groaned and sighed, perking her ears as the priestess trotted forward.

"Wait a sec; do you really wanna know where to find Naraku? Head in the direction of the Ox Tiger! His presence was sensed in that direction!" Kagome exclaimed, making all three _yokai_ look at her sharply.

_'Ox Tiger'? So it's northeast?_ Korihime wondered.

"Shut up, Kagome!" InuYasha barked, glaring up at his brother's likewise gold stare.

"In the direction of the Ox Tiger? Thank you; that's all I needed to know." Sesshomaru removed the threat from his brother's neck, returning it to his side. "You're lucky you escaped death today, InuYasha. Girls." He added, glancing back at the two females of his pack.

Getsu looked at the humans and flashed a kind smile, trotting after him and waving absently until she sidled to his side and took his hand.

Korihime handed the kitsune back to the priestess, ruffling his hair and smiling lightly at the girl. "See ya. Thanks for the info; later, _baka-inu_." She winked at the _hanyou_, hurrying after the couple.

"Wait, Sesshomaru! Why're you after Naraku?" InuYasha called, briefly making him pause.

Sesshomaru scowled forward into the trees. "I have a score to settle." He answered lowly; his hand squeezed reflexively on his mate's smaller one before they continued into the wood.

* * *

"Northeast, hm?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye as she peeled herself away from coddling the girl, the dying twilight darkening her silver orbs; he nodded and looked ahead. "Hn." He glanced at her again.  
"You do realize this will get even more dangerous than it already has been. As well as the fact that he wants your demonic powers passed down from your father." He reminded quietly, peeling his gaze away.

She nodded and then snorted, slugging his right shoulder.

Sesshomaru winced slightly, scowling down at her through one open eye. "What's that for?"

"_Baka-inu_, you don't think I knew that? I know that's why he tried to kill us, why he tried to kill you… to get to me." A fang glinted in the brief grimace. "I don't care how dangerous it gets: I promised that I would not only kill him, but that I would stay at your side. And I meant every word, Sesshomaru." Her silver eyes softened when she looked up at him. "Besides, just because I'm the princess of the Western Wolf Clan doesn't mean I'm weak; you know that better than anyone." Getsu smiled wryly.

He fell silent for a long moment before exhaling and then smirking fondly at her determination and confidence. "I had a feeling that nothing I could say would deter you from keeping your word." He mused.

She smiled cheekily, taking his hand and squeezing. "Not in this lifetime, milord." She replied.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" The voices of Rin and Jaken declared behind them, making both _daiyokai_ look to see the rest of their pack was ready to move; matching smiles stretched across the faces of Rin, Jaken, and Korihime.

Getsu looked at them and chuckled, smiling as well.

Sesshomaru sort of smirked, looking down at his mate. "We're going." He announced, walking off with the female _daiyokai_ in tow.

* * *

A/N: well that was a cute filler, wasn't it? hope you lot enjoyed it. i **WILL **cover the_ Band of Seven_ arc too, in case anyone is wondering; fight scenes plus Sesshomaru equal **HELL YES**~ xD

anywho, see ya!


	26. Shattering Stars: Gasoline

A/N: okay well as promised, here's the Band of Seven arc! enjoy~

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 26: Shattering Stars: Gasoline**_

"Honestly, Rin, you can be so dense sometimes, you foolish human…"

**_THWACK_**.

"Quit berating my pup otherwise I'm gonna feed you to the next demon that crosses our path." She slung her long bow back onto her shoulder after beating the imp with it rather harshly, blue eyes closed.

Her sister rolled her eyes patiently and her ears twitched as she caught whiff of that boy's scent. _That boy… Kohaku!_ She thought, looking up at her companion. "Sesshomaru," she began quietly, tugging on his sleeve.

"I know, I smelled it too." He replied quietly.

She frowned slightly.

::::::::xXx::::::::

Apparently living with Sesshomaru long enough had made her immune to poison.

"Kagome!" She declared, slipping past his towering form over the worthless little poison master to help the girl up, looking at the girl's comrades. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Getsu," the priestess next to her declared weakly as her friends nodded slightly.

"Tell me, is InuYasha here?" Her mate asked the apparent opposition he had used his poison claws on.

The man turned a beady eye up at the powerful _daiyokai_. "W-who are you?" He returned.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." He drawled.

He glared up at him, "you tried to kill me and you don't even know me!?" He grabbed a box full of toxins and scurried out of the hut.

"Stay here." He instructed his mate, seeing her nod, before he followed him out. "You felt the pain of my Poison Claws and yet you were still able to move." He declared lowly.

She moved to stand by the doorway, refraining from leaving the hut for the sake of the paralyzed humans still inside.

The man laughed sheepishly, "take this; taste my poison!" He tossed the contents of the jars out at him.

He simply stood there when the dust cleared, his gold eyes narrowed in annoyance, moving closer to end his life.

She huffed at his pathetic form, her lip curling. _How weak; just what kind of man is he? His scent was different than a normal human's, and he's paler than Sesshomaru… as pale as death_. Her eyes sharpened. _Is he a resurrected corpse?_

But who could resurrect a pathetic and vile creature such as him…?

"I told you to stay inside." Sesshomaru declared once he had vanquished the pathetic thing, looking at her over his shoulder.

Getsu shrugged. "I was just curious…"

"**Kagome**!"

Both _daiyokai_ looked to see InuYasha rushing forward to the scene, skidding to a halt at seeing them there.

"Sesshomaru…?" He seemed to put his interrogation aside and hurried to his friends' aid; he looked at their state and growled, looking back at his brother. "What did you do to them!?"

"No, Sesshomaru saved us… he didn't do anything." Kagome declared weakly, lifting her head.

The she-wolf shared a brief look with her mate before she walked forward.

"Getsu, what're you…?" InuYasha began to snap at her before he watched her palms glow a soft lilac color and she placed them on the girl's shoulders from behind, healing her of the paralysis.

Kagome's eyes widened slightly at the feeling of heat rushing over her before a swift coolness overcame the warmth; she looked up at her "nurse", meeting her calm silver eyes. "Getsu," she began.

Getsu smiled kindly, shrugging. "You're welcome." She replied, moving away to tend to Sango next, and then Miroku, before she only stroked the fur of Kirara's back with her fingers.

All three of them seemed cured of the poison's effects, looking at the silver-eyed _daiyokai_ in something akin to confusion and awe.

She smiled when the twin-tailed _neko_ mewed and licked her cheek in thanks, letting her retreat to her companions as she straightened and turned her back on them, pausing short of the _hanyou_'s surprised face and shrugging innocently, looking to her mate. "Let's go." She walked out of the hut and out into the daylight of the afternoon, sliding her arms into the folds of her kimono sleeves as she went.

He wordlessly sidled up to her side several minutes later once she was deeper into the forest, looking down at her. "You didn't need to revive them like that; they're _humans_, after all."

She shrugged. "It felt like the right thing to do; if I don't use these powers for how they were originally intended to be used, then why should I have them?"

Sesshomaru frowned and lifted his hand to stroke her cheek softly, slightly surprising her. "You know I don't want you to overexert yourself." He reminded.

Getsu quieted and looked away, glancing up at him. "I know, but I want to help. What kind of _daiyokai_ would I be if I didn't want to help those that need it?" She challenged, stopping by a tree to look up at him with stubborn silver orbs.

He quieted and then sighed softly, stepping closer to pull her into an embrace; she blushed and lowered her gaze, wrapping her arms around his waist. "That day your home was destroyed, you looked helpless to do anything except run. You are my mate and I don't want to see you look like that ever again… I don't want to lose you, Getsu."

His claws dug into the fabric of her obi as his gold eyes narrowed in revulsion at seeing her die.

She fell silent and nodded, resting her cheek against his chest.

"I don't want to lose you either, Sesshomaru. That's why we've come this far, though; to kill Naraku. He took everything from me and he almost took you too, and that's the very reason I want to keep going. I want to end this and restore my clan's honor, to restore my father's honor." She replied quietly, closing her eyes against the memories that tried to bring back pain.

Sesshomaru exhaled again, squeezing her tighter to his chest as a growl of thinning patience rumbled in his throat. "You stubborn, reckless princess."

Getsu smiled dryly, nuzzling his neck. "Such manners, milord," she teased quietly.

He shook his head softly and pulled back a little to kiss her forehead. "Don't patronize me." He grumbled.

She smiled cheekily. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She chuckled as he pouted sorely.

* * *

A vein twitched on her brow.  
Her sister sighed patiently.

**_THWACK_**.  
"Idiot frog!" She barked, tapping the bottom tip of her long bow on the ground in annoyance.

_Leave it to Jaken of all people to misplace a simple human child_, the older of the two females mused with a sweatdrop, watching a large bump swell on the imp's head.

But then again, it's not like she could really blame him, either; the purified air of this mountain was starting to piss her off; her sister disliked it entirely mostly on account of the air putting a damper on her demonic powers, therein setting her in a bad mood.

Being a _daiyokai_, it didn't have the exact same effect on her as it did her sister, but she wasn't exactly immune to it either; she was once again silently thankful for her regenerative healing abilities that seemed to keep the purified atmosphere at bay and from completely diminishing her demonic power.

She just wanted to get rid of Naraku and then get the hell away from Mt. Hakurei as soon and far as possible.

"You mustn't go in there, Master! You'll be instantly purified!" The imp's outburst jerked her from her thoughts, making her look to see her mate walking closer to the barrier.

"Sesshomaru," her sister began alertly, perking her ears as the silhouette of the girl in the fog stirred her attention away; she beamed. "Rin!"

"Lord Sesshomaru, Kori-onee!" The girl seemed relieved, hurrying closer to her companions.

Sesshomaru was almost the figurative image of a father, "Kohaku was in there, wasn't he; beyond the barrier?" He asked, his tone scolding and curious.

Rin hesitated to answer, looking up as Korihime ruffled her hair gently, meeting her blue eyes.

"Be honest, Rin; you can't hide from the master's keen nose!" Jaken piped up before getting his head stomped on by the older of the two females' foot.

"The truth is, Kohaku helped me escape: there was a cave full of demons in there." She answered after what seemed like mental deliberating, looking down bashfully.

"'Demons'?" Getsu and Sesshomaru repeated quietly in chorus.

Rin nodded. "Kohaku protected me from the demons," she paused when he looked at the mountain with hard gold eyes; she looked up at the blue-haired female with almost desperate eyes. "Kori-onee, you're not going to kill Kohaku are you? You and Getsu-onee and Lord Sesshomaru don't intend to kill him, do you?" She blurted out, slightly surprising her babysitter.

Korihime paused and looked beyond her at the fog around them. "Rin…"

"No, we're not." Getsu answered, coming forward to stoop down and meet her eye-to-eye; she smiled warmly, running her claws through her brown hair. "We're not gonna kill him; we've just been following his scent to find Naraku, that's all. Besides, he's your friend right? I won't bring harm to someone who's your friend, Rin. Count on it." She met her brown orbs with determined silver orbs, a kindness flashing in her eyes that made her out to be more like her mother than an older sister.

Rin nodded again, seeming relieved at having her fears pacified. "Thank you, Getsu-onee!" She embraced her, hugging her neck with her small arms.

Getsu smiled again and squeezed lightly before letting her go, tousling her hair affectionately. "No problem."

Sesshomaru looked between both females and he inwardly smiled at the exchange in affection that passed; they really were like a family, now that he thought about it. Getsu was like a mother to both Korihime and Rin, the former of the two younger females like the younger sister and the latter of the two like the youngest, the pup of their pack.

And Jaken… well, he was just the vassal.

::::::::xXx::::::::

Her ears perked alertly; she looked up from sniffing the air, her eyes sharpening.

_That scent... I smell wolf_.

"Kori-onee," she looked up at the sound of the child's voice, looking to see she had a look of concern on her young face. "Where're you going?"

"You smelled it too, didn't you?" She turned her gaze on her sister and brother-in-law.

Her sister nodded. "It's not our fight, Kori." She mused.

"He isn't our priority at the moment; and besides, I also smell gunpowder. It would be foolish to try and aid him." He chimed with a trademark frown.

She shook her head and looked away. "Regardless, Koga is the clan head of the Eastern Wolf Tribe, our cousin clan. If he dies then what hope is there for our kind surviving?" She declared, seeming stubborn.

Getsu widened her eyes slightly before she looked at the mountain, exhaling sharply after a long moment. "Now you're talking like Papa." She met her surprised blue stare and smiled, nodding. "Don't get yourself killed trying to save his ass." She instructed.

Korihime nodded, smiling back, before she stooped to embrace the girl tight and ruffle her hair. "I'll be back." She promised, smiling lightly at her before letting go and nodding to her brother-in-law. "If anything happens to her or my sister I'm gonna kick your ass for it." She saw him smirk slightly at her vow, trotting away until she disappeared into the fog.

"Will Kori-onee be okay out there by herself?" Rin asked both _daiyokai_, worry in her brown eyes.

Getsu sighed and tousled her hair gently, looking off in the direction her sister went. "'Course she will; Kori's too stubborn to let something trivial do her in. Besides, she promised you she'd come back and if it's one thing I know, she keeps her promises." She smiled down at her.

* * *

Another explosion went off.

"**Head's up**!" A blur of blue knocked the brown-clad wolf demon out of the way of yet another explosion and behind a rock outcropping.

"Oi, who the hell're…? Korihime?" His blue eyes widened in surprise at seeing her soft blue eyes scowling at him.

She pushed his head down, poking her head above the taller rock to look at the barrier shielding the unseen enemy. "Great to see you too, wolf boy." She greeted.

Koga pulled her down behind the rock, looking at her sharply. "Idiot, what're you doing here? I didn't think you guys were hunting down the Band of Seven too." He asked, seeing a look of confusion cross her pale face.

"'Band of Seven'? Never heard of them, but then again that might explain the poison freak Sesshomaru killed a few days ago. Getsu said he smelled like a corpse." Korihime declared thoughtfully.

He huffed. "So you guys ran into one of them." He guessed.

She nodded, stealing a glance up at the rock they hid behind. "How many of them are there? I know there's one that's causing the explosions, but I can't see shit with that damn barrier in the way."

"There's five of them in total but it's just two of them here. The one firing is named Genkotsu and the one that's pulling the strings is Renkotsu." Koga informed grimly, shooting a look around the outcropping and growling, before he looked at her. "Kori, you shouldn't be here; they're after the shards in my legs and arm and I don't want you to get caught in the middle of this."  
His blue eyes were hard but at the same time they held worry.

Korihime blinked and looked away, a slight blush staining her cheeks. "I came to help, you idiot wolf. Just because I'm a princess of the Western Wolf Clan doesn't mean I can't fight." Her blue eyes were sharp, reminiscent of her sister's stubborn gaze.

He growled again and shoved her head back down, gripping her shoulders in both hands and slightly surprising her again. "That's the whole damn reason I don't want you here! Ya shouldn't waste your life away trying to help me keep my shards, Korihime. I don't **want** you to." He stated with a grimace on his face.

She widened her eyes and looked down, keeping her eyes on the brown fur on his right shoulder. "Koga," she began quietly.

Was he saying that he was willing to protect her? But that didn't make sense! "Koga, I came to protect you, dummy. Not the other way around!" She barked, glaring into his blue stare.

Koga groaned and then exhaled, glaring into her hard blue orbs. "You're the princess, here, so it'd be stupid for you to get yourself killed when you have someone like me here to keep that from happening. Besides, your sister would roast me alive if I let you die." He stated, his hardened stare softening when he finished talking, a wry smirk on his lips.

Korihime closed her eyes and exhaled, gripping his muscled arms tightly. "You'd better not die anytime soon, okay?" She growled.

He flashed that trademark confident smirk of his, releasing her shoulders to stroke her cheek lightly. "You got it, Princess." He winked, releasing her to poke his head from above the outcropping.

She blushed again and huffed, looking away.

Did Koga still like her after all? Even though she'd kicked his ass a while back in that village?

:::::::xXx::::::::

"**KOGA**!" Both of his packmates cried.

She sprinted forward into the oncoming fray.

His blue eyes looked up at the dropping explosives coming from the sky before seeing the wolf princess running to his side, his eyes widening. "No, stay back! _**Korihime**__!_" He snarled.

_You may want to protect me, but that doesn't mean I can't do the same for you!_ She thought, lifting her long bow high overhead and slamming an arrowhead into the ground at her feet.

A thick dome of pink ice that looked to be at least ten inches thick formed quickly over both wolf demons.

Koga looked around him in awe at the dome, seeing the explosives bounce off the barrier's surface and drop, destroying the ground around their feet and making it tremble. "Kori," he looked at the she-wolf.

Korihime panted slightly, looking at him and smiling. "A princess of the Western Wolf Clan doesn't have room in her vocabulary for the term '_weak_'." She stated softly, keeping her hold on the top of the arrow and bottom of her bow tight.

His blue eyes glanced from her aura that had spiked and now formed into a soft pink glow emanating from her body to the smoke that was slowly clearing from the attack caused by the two dead mercenaries. "Are you alright, otherwise?" He asked, his tone quiet and even concerned.

She nodded, looking past the smoke clearing and narrowing her eyes; the barrier hadn't taken much out of her energy, thank God, but still… being so close to this damn purified air was starting to make her sick.

Both of them perked up as the two mercenaries were coming out of the barrier's safety; she dropped her own barrier, placing the arrow in her bow and holding it at her side.

"Kori, stay behind me." He ordered quietly, perking her ears.

She nodded, smiling slightly. "Right."

_Koga, I know we're not mates or even bonded, but still… Even if we come from different clans, we're still pack, aren't we?_ She wondered, scowling from the bald mercenary to the war-machine one, bristling.

He lashed out at the bald one, missing the spot where the man's shard was; she slipped the arrow back in her quiver, huffing.

"Renkotsu…" The machine ground out, surprising the wolf demons.

_It can talk?_

Koga leaped to stand infront of it as it cursed him.

"Genkotsu, what're you…?" The bald one asked warily.

It aimed two cannon heads at the wolf demon standing infront of it.

"Koga!" She barked as it fired, perking up as it seemed to backfire instead, smoke flying. How did Koga stop it from hitting him? She wondered.  
The machine still whirred, surprising both wolf demons.

"It's still moving?" Koga balked.  
Her eyes widened as it whirred again and creaked before showing off the rest –and from what she could guess, the entirety of—its arsenal of cannons and guns. "_Shit_."

It fired.

"_**KOGA**__!_" She shrieked, gritting her teeth and sprinting for the machine.

Even through the blasts going on around him, he still heard her voice. "_**KORI, NO**__!_" He shouted.

"**FROSTBITTEN FANG**!" Two of the cannon heads were severed, backfiring on each other as a blur of blue leaped onto the other half of the machine and slammed the sharp end of a dagger down on other two cannons, the same reaction occurring with the destroyed weapons.

Genkotsu whirred angrily and tried to hit her with one of the cannon heads before she latched onto it and landed on its head, dagger in hand.  
"Leave him be!" She stabbed the frozen dagger onto its forehead.

Sparks flew when the blade connected, electrocuting her and making her yelp before she was knocked off and was sent flying.

He caught her from crashing into the barrier, looking down at the frizz-haired female in his arms. "Korihime! Say something," he barked, holding her to his chest.

She grimaced and opened an eye, meeting his worried and relieved blue stare; she smirked wryly. "We're still pack, right?" She wondered softly.

Koga quieted and smirked gently, nodding before cradling her closer. "Damn right we are." He growled, relieved and angered that she had been so reckless.

Korihime winced slightly and held onto his neck. "Kind of squeezing the life outta me," she mumbled into his pelt.

He eased his tight grip, looking sheepish. "Sorry."

She shook her head, looking over at the injured Renkotsu and catching a glint of light coming from his throat. "The shard, it's in his throat." She muttered.

He nodded, setting her down on a low boulder. "Stay here." He urged quietly.

She nodded back and smiled. "Kick some ass."

He huffed and smirked at her, turning back to the battle to end it before it could harm her again.

* * *

Her ears perked; she sniffed the air and her eyes sharpened before she growled under her breath.

He looked at her, stirred from his thoughts. "What is it?"

She scowled at the mountain, looking at him. "Korihime, I can smell her blood… And Koga's." She answered quietly so as not to perturb the child.

His own eyes sharpened and he looked away. "If she's with that wolf, she'll be all right; you know as well as I." He mused.

Getsu nodded slightly and exhaled, her hands at her sides balling into fists at being left unnerved by that scent. _Korihime, please be okay_, she thought.

The stink of the walking dead assailed her nose and his as own.

"They're coming." Sesshomaru declared lowly, surprising the imp, before he flew off to 'greet' the would-be ambushers, Tokijin drawn.

A string of blade-shaped lights flew at him before he deflected them with ease, sending them reeling back to a broadsword being wielded by a man wearing a lilac _kosode_ and scarf, brown hair and blue eye makeup with red lipstick.

"Are you one of Naraku's followers?" He demanded.

The man chuckled, resting his broadsword against his shoulder leisurely. "So you noticed, huh? How very perceptive of you." He purred.

A narrow arc of purple energy screamed at the stranger as he side-stepped it effortlessly, baffling the transvestite.

"No wonder I smelled rotting flesh. Apparently Naraku doesn't know when to let rotting things just lay in their graves." She drawled stonily, flicking her wrist and dropping her katana-wielding arm to her side, as she stepped forward to stand at her mate's side out of loyalty.

* * *

A/N: action-packed, wasn't it? xD

what'll happen now: will Koga defeat Genkotsu? and if so, is he doing it just to keep his shards..? or is he doing it to protect Korihime..? and who is the stranger with the broadsword? why is he after Sesshomaru?

**"**Gasoline**" is copyright to the song "**_Gasoline_**" by _Porcelain and the Tramps_

until next chap, see ya! and **please review**. later!


	27. Shattering Stars: Animal

A/N: okay where we last left off, Korihime had split up with Getsu and Sesshomaru to go aid Koga in his battle with Genkotsu and Renkotsu. meanwhile Getsu and Sesshomaru were attacked by another member of the Band of Seven named Jakotsu... and that's where this chap lets off. enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 27: Shattering Stars: Animal_**

Both of them looked surprised to see the younger of the two wolf sisters there near the injured wolf demon.  
"Korihime?" The girl began, seeing her look over at her.

She smiled at her, looking down at the wolf demon she was kneeled next to, sniffing and shaking her head fervently to hide the tears from the _hanyou_. "I thought I smelled dog," she mused.

The aforementioned _hanyou_ huffed and yanked the large piece of metal off the injured male's legs. "Koga's a wolf demon, something like this wouldn't do him in." He declared gruffly.

"Koga," the priestess began worriedly, both her and the she-wolf perking up when he stirred, opening his eyes stiffly.

"Koga!" She beamed in relief, her shoulders slumping. _Thank God_, she thought.

"Kori… You're injured; I can smell your blood." He grunted, perking her ears, as he tried to sit up.

She helped him sit up, chuckling and smiling. "It doesn't hurt a lot. You idiot, you scared me! I almost thought you hadn't survived that blast." She declared, wiping a smudge of dirt from his cheek.

He winced slightly, perking his ears at seeing that tearstains marred her pale face; he huffed, lifting an arm to rub his thumb over her right cheekbone, brushing against the star birthmark on her skin. "Don't start cryin', Kori. It'd be like if I did die in the damn blast if you start crying." He scolded quietly.

Korihime blushed and then laughed weakly, smiling again. "I couldn't help it, Ginta and Hakkaku started the waterworks first, not me!" She defended.

Koga chuckled weakly, glancing over at the priestess. "Sorry for worryin' ya too, Kagome."

She chuckled and smiled humbly. "It's okay, Koga; I think you worried Korihime more than me." She mused.

InuYasha huffed. "Regardless, yer both worryin' over a scrawny wolf!" He barked.

Kagome opened her mouth to scold him before noticing the wolf demon had closed his eyes and rested his head on the she-wolf's knees, seeming to fall asleep like his two packmates had.

Korihime blinked before her eyes softened and she smiled, gingerly brushing strands of black hair from his forehead. "Idiot wolf." She muttered with a shake of her head.

:::::::xXx:::::::

The transvestite huffed and his brow contorted into a frown. "Mighty words coming from a whorish wolf."

She bristled slightly and re-gripped the hilt of her katana.

"I would imagine you're just like that poison user; your dead mortal stink is the same as his was." He declared coolly.

He huffed again and smirked. "What a keen sense of smell; just what I'd expect from InuYasha's older brother!" He sent the same string of blades at the _daiyokai_.

He deflected it again, leaping at him and swinging Tokijin down, sending him flying with a yelp.

_That was almost too easy_, she mused.

"Just stay still and let him slay you, mortal…!" The imp yelped when he sent the blade-string at where he and the girl were, creating a small fissure in the ground.

"You got anything more to say; **well**, imp!?" He snarled.

A jet of blue fire screamed at him, throwing off his concentration, before a loud '_klang_' rang out in the mountain air, sparks flying when her katana clashed with his broadsword.

"Leave them be: your fight is with us, _corpse_." She thundered coldly, her aura spiking with her agitation. "Jaken, take Rin and run. Now!" She growled over her shoulder.

The imp balked. "I-I don't take orders from you, you lowly…"

"**Jaken**, do as she says and go." He snapped coldly, making his vassal cringe at the tone in his low voice before both imp and girl scurried away from the battle.

The blades disengaged before she lunged again, blades locking together as she bore her weight down on her enemy, gritting her teeth.

"You're pretty good." He grumbled.

She huffed. "I've seen better; I didn't catch your name, by the way. It's honorable to know the name of the foe you're going to cut down." She growled stiffly.

He rammed his foot into her gut, making her stumble back before she gained her footing quickly. "Jakotsu, and what's yours?" He snapped.

"Getsu." She returned, gripping the hilt of her katana before she lunged again.

The string of blades sailed at her; she leaped into the air, briefly surprising the transvestite, before she flew down at him, sending a torrent of blue fire at her opponent from her left fist.

He managed to block the oncoming surge of fire, perking up as she crashed onto him, her katana's blade locking with that of his broadsword's, the sound of screeching metal hurting his ears.

She had indeed gotten stronger; the brief sessions of aerial practice and combat had been put to good use with her, something he had to admit he was very proud of...

She fell back after being knocked away by his string of blades, growling and flashing her teeth out of reflex, bristling like mad and panting softly.

"So you sent the girl away so that she wouldn't get hurt; well aren't you both doting parents." Jakotsu sneered.

Sesshomaru scoffed, "Big words coming from a dead mortal."

"I'm tired of hearing you two berate me because I'm dead!" He snapped, his face contorting into something like a pout before he huffed. "Never mind; with the girl gone you can focus more on our battle." He smirked darkly.

Getsu began to fire a retort before he nudged her behind him, surprised.  
"Stay at my back." He ordered softly, lunging at the revived corpse and being met with the broadsword's block.

The stink of a second revived corpse surprised her; she looked over her shoulder alertly as the stink was coming from the opposite end of the bridge.

"Keep your attention on me!" He barked, swinging the broadsword at him and knocking Tokijin out of his hand, the demon sword flying to stab into the side of the gorge.

"Sesshomaru," she began, perking up as the transvestite swung his sword at him again. "**Dying Wolf's Blood**!" She shouted and swung the sword sharply; he ducked in time as she sent a torrent of green energy screaming at the corpse.

"What!?" He cried out as he was thrown back from the force of the attack that came from her Mangetsuga.

He nodded to her as she flicked her wrist aimlessly. "That wasn't necessary, but thank you nonetheless." He mused.

She nodded back and smiled, shrugging. "Someone has to look out for you if not yourself." She replied.

The sound of the bridge creaking and then breaking rang out before the girl's scream was heard.

"Rin!" She sprinted past him towards the noise, ducking when the string of blades flew at her and almost got her head; she whirled about in slight surprise to see the transvestite's blades retreat to the broadsword.

"And just where do you think you're going?" He sneered.

Her aura spiked angrily and she bared her teeth, dropping her katana and leaping at him blindly, lithe body twisting as she sent jet after jet of blue fire at him, forcing him to draw back with each angered blow.

"Know your place!" She snarled, landing on her right foot hard; a wide torrent of blue fire screamed at the distracted corpse, sending him flying into the trees behind them.

He retrieved Tokijin just as she snatched up Mangetsuga from the ground and flew down after the girl; he flew after her until he hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. "You fought bravely." He mused into her hair.

She smiled fondly at his praise, nodding. "A wolf protects its own, and I am no different." She replied softly.

* * *

She scowled and huffed, scowling at him. "He's still bein' a jerk," she muttered.

"Kori-onee, shouldn't you be getting back to Getsu-onee and Sesshomaru?" Shippo asked the she-wolf running alongside the large twin-tailed _neko_.

The aforementioned female looked at the sleeping wolf demon on the _hanyou_'s back, quieting. "Getsu and Sesshomaru are fine without me there; knowing them, if they ran into trouble they can handle it between the two of them, given that they're both _daiyokai_. Besides, I wanted to make sure Koga would be okay." _No thanks to a certain complaining_ baka-inu, she inwardly added, scowling again.

_Poor Korihime, seeing Koga like that must've scared her_, the priestess mused, looking at her long cobalt hair that danced in the wind behind her wake. "I'm sure he's going to be fine, Korihime." She assured her.

She looked up at her and her eyes softened, nodding. "I hope so too, Kagome. Thank you for helping." She replied.

The _hanyou_ looked back at the two females and huffed, looking away. _If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Kori's actually liking Koga, and more than normal_, he thought.

It wasn't like he and her had bonded or anything like that; she was just a friend.

Sure she teased him and there was that one time she kissed his cheek, but she was just teasing! She wasn't blind: she knew he didn't like her in that way. Whatever Koga did to that Genkotsu freak, it had to involve protecting Korihime in the process before he was knocked out.  
That was the only reason he could see that had said pedigree princess worrying for him.

Talk about irony: a princess falling for a knight… Just like something out of a kid's fairy tale.

::::::::xXx:::::::::

Both Getsu and Sesshomaru landed nimbly on the river bank, straightening with ease as the former favored taking the hand of the latter instead of being dragged away by his arm around her waist.

"Her scent ends here, so that means she must've been carried away by the current." She thought aloud, tapping her chin with a finger and walking off down the bank after her mate's lead.

_I hope Korihime is doing okay; before we fought against Jakotsu, I almost thought I smelled InuYasha's scent mingled with hers and Koga's. Hopefully they got away without __**too**__ many critical injuries_, she thought.

He stopped walking once he heard the quiet groans of consciousness coming from behind a small rock outcropping by the river.

Her head crashed into his back; with a muffled '_oof_', she stumbled back as pain blossomed in her nose. "Ow; S-Sesshomaru, that hurt!" She stammered, her voice nasal as she rubbed her probably-broken nose gingerly with tears in her eyes, scowling up at him.

"Are you pretending to be **dead**, Jaken?" He drawled, perking her ears; she looked over at the rocks as the imp squeaked an apology and bowed face-first into the rock he stood on.

She sweatdropped.

"I promise I shall find Rin even if it costs me my life!" The imp vowed.

He continued walking, tugging on her hand and leading her after him. "Come on."

"And if it does cost him his life, we can let Kori eat fried toad!" She mused with a light smile.

The imp blanched and scurried after the couple. "L-Lord Sesshomaru, you don't agree with that, do you!?"

He ignored him, continuing to walk and lightly pulling her to walk at his right side. "I'm sure there are plenty of amphibians to choose from around here." He mused quietly, his voice low enough that the imp didn't catch what he said.

She used her free hand to cover up a giggle. "_Dastardly_ things coming from your mouth, milord!" She teased with a wink.

He smirked and squeezed her hand affectionately.

* * *

A/N: not much to put except that it might take me a bit to pull up the next chap because of the ref work. just ahead's up! ^^ also, **1200 views**! whew-hoo! lol thanks a mil guys, rly! ;D

**second part of the chap title - "**_Animal_**" by _Ellie Goulding_


	28. Shattering Stars: Carnations

A/N: not much to put, other than this is the last chap in the Band of Seven arc i covered. enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 28: Shattering Stars: Carnations**_

"'Go easy on him'? I should be taking the shards from his scrawny wolf legs!" He scoffed.

She felt a vein twitching on her brow before she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

**_THWACK_**.

Ginta, Hakkaku, Kagome and Shippo sweatdropped; Kirara tilted her head to one side.

"**OI WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, KORI**!?" The _hanyou_ barked indignantly, glaring daggers at the pissy she-wolf as she folded her arms and ignored the large bump that swelled on his head from her long bow's beating.

Korihime exhaled quietly and scowled up at his gold eyes. "Give it a rest! He's still injured for the gods' sakes. And if you so much as try to steal the shards from his legs and arm I'm going to beat you into a friggin' coma with just my long bow! Got it, half-breed?" She had dropped her tone to a low and dangerous, even icy tone that complimented her namesake.

InuYasha had to fight a shiver at the tone in her voice that clearly said she was losing her patience, spluttering a huff and looking away. "Keh, fine." He growled, folding his arms in the sleeves of his red _kosode_.

Kagome smiled patiently at him, looking at the she-wolf. "Will you find your sister after this?" She wondered.

She nodded, looking down at the still-unconscious wolf demon and exhaling again. "Yeah, kind of have to. We're still pack, no matter what. Besides, Koga will be able to stand on his own two feet soon, knowing him." She chuckled, blue eyes soft despite her joke.

The _hanyou_ refrained from snorting aloud at the expense of another beating; _'course he will, then you'll go back to sniffing after him_, he thought, disgruntled.

* * *

She looked over her shoulder at the imp that had been repelled by the barrier's power, chuckling quietly at the comical expression on his green face.

_So the barrier isn't affecting her as much, either_, he thought, stealing a glance at his female counterpart. _She truly has become stronger than she was when we first met_…

"If you're going to keep staring, you might as well ask me whatever question you have on your mind." She mused patiently, perking his ears.

He cleared his throat to try and dismiss the slight embarrassment at having been caught staring, looking away. "It's nothing."

She sighed and tugged on his sleeve out of habit, her silver eyes stubborn and patient at the same time. "Sesshomaru."

He met her stare and their eyes locked before he reluctantly backed down, his shoulders slumping a little. "I was just noticing that you really have gotten stronger since we met, two hundred years ago. I haven't met many female wolf demons in the past, but even if I did, I doubt they would be as powerful as you have become." He declared quietly.

She blushed and lowered her gaze humbly, continuing to walk at his side.

Once again, considering she had lost count a few decades ago, Sesshomaru had stumped her with his antics.

Sure he would praise her from time to time, rain kisses on her during and after they made love, and usually remarked in a teasing manner to her sarcastic comments or playful jibes. But to actually compliment her prowess over two centuries' time span? This was a new one that she instantly added to a mental list she'd kept of rare things he'd said in the past.

Either the barrier of Mt. Hakurei had done a number on his demonic power to the point where he had gained a concussion from it, or he had completely fallen for her… She just wasn't sure which one was the correct guess.

"Either the barrier is finally affecting you or I might've just turned you speechless from my compliment." Sesshomaru's low and calm voice jerked her from her thought train, bringing it to a skidding halt.

Getsu coughed as her cheeks flared a soft pink hue, huffing. "I… Shut up. _Baka-inu_," she grumbled, the blush deepening.

He smiled down at her, mentally cursing his lack of a left arm for the briefest moment where he imagined pulling her closer to tease her further; she was always more beautiful when he had her flustered.

::::::xXx::::::

The man's lip curled in a grimace. "He cut us off." He grated.

A jet of blue fire sailed past him, making both he and his cross-dressing friend duck in time.

"He isn't the only one who's pissed off." She growled, hopping from the higher ledge and landing nimbly several yards away from the two mercenaries. "Let the girl go and I might just spare your reanimated life." She added, cracking her knuckles, silver eyes dangerous.

"Getsu-onee, you're here!" The girl exclaimed; she spared her a glance and winked before her silver eyes looked into the dark eyes of her captor.

"Sesshomaru, you handle the bitch, and I'll take him." She called leisurely, tying her hair back in a ponytail and glancing over her shoulder at her mate.

He huffed and smirked wryly at the confident look in her stare, inwardly shaking his head as he drew Tokijin; perhaps she had been spending **_too_** long of a time with him, if she was that confident at this point in a battle.

"Damn that wretch, and his overtly-confident bitch, too! You're both demons yet the barrier isn't affecting you… Maybe **this** will!" Jakotsu snarled as he sent the string of blades at both _daiyokai_.

"Look out!" Rin barked fearfully.

A loud growl sounded before a set of claws ripped into the transvestite's right shoulder, blood flying from the wound, before the owner of the growl sailed at the man that had captured the human child.

"That stupid whore!" The effeminate corpse hissed as he gripped his shoulder that bled freely.

A blast from the male _daiyokai_ made him leap back out of reflex, broadsword bared.  
"I'll have to insist you refrain from talking so callously about the woman I love." Sesshomaru thundered coldly, leaping at him as their blades clashed.

The second mercenary shoved the female _daiyokai_ off with a foot, sending her back; she hopped back and landed nimbly on one foot a few ledges away. "You're pretty light on your feet. Do I get to learn the name of such a lovely dancer like yourself?" He taunted, perking her ears.

She almost thought she heard her mate growl disgruntledly at the mention of hearing her be praised for looking like a dancer, brushing it aside and glaring stonily into the man's dark blue stare. "You first."

He nodded. "Suikotsu; it's a pleasure."

"Getsu; I'm afraid I can't say the same." She replied stiffly.

He chuckled good-naturedly, meeting her icy silver stare. "And why ever not? From what I have heard, you're the most powerful wolf demon around, as well as the most beautiful." He smirked.

She bristled as her aura spiked out of reflex, her lip curling. "If you weren't threatening the life of my pup, I'd be flattered. But seeing as it's the opposite," she slipped a hand inside the collar of her kimono to pull out a short knife. "Rin, close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to." She flicked her wrist, lowering her knife-wielding hand to her side.

"Okay!" She obeyed and closed her eyes tight.

He huffed and smirked again. "How sweet, wanting to keep her away from the sight of blood; it's almost maternal of you, Lady Getsuei."

She bared her teeth out of habit and lunged.

He brought up his gloved right hand that sported four large claws on the knuckles, swinging at her; his claws briefly ripped the left sleeve of her lilac kimono before she disappeared.

_Where did she..?_

A searing hot pain ripped through his left arm; his eyes widened in horror as he saw his left arm fall to the ground, the girl still tucked against the arm before she was saved from hitting the ground by a pair of female hands, before the pain washed over his body.

Suikotsu howled and cried out in agony as blood spewed out from where his left arm should have been before it was severed mere seconds ago.

Jakotsu's eyes widened slightly at the noise, briefly deterring his attention away from fighting the _Inu-Daiyokai_ to the sight of his comrade clinging tightly to the stump of his left arm. _Suikotsu…!_

"Rin, open your eyes."

Her brown eyes cracked open to see a calm and warm pair of silver orbs that met her stare.

"Getsu-onee, I'm so glad you're okay!" Rin chirped, hugging the she-wolf that acted more as her mother than as her older sister.

Getsu groaned under her breath in relief and held her tight, nuzzling her cheek just like her own mother used to do her when she was little. "I'm glad you're safe too, Rin." She replied softly.

Suikotsu towered over the two females, bleeding, furious and downright dangerous. "**You… how dare you cut off my arm**!?" He roared as he swung down his clawed fist onto them.

"**_Getsu_**_!_" Sesshomaru shouted.

Rock crumbled where his fist had landed, surprising both mercenary and her mate.

Getsu stood atop a higher ledge, panting slightly from moving so quickly, the girl cradled to her chest in her left arm as she drew her katana. "You're too damn cocky to still be walking, corpse." She growled, her aura turned lilac as it emanated from her petite form.

"Getsu-onee," the girl began, peering up at the stony-faced female.

She looked down at her and smiled softly. "It'll be over soon, Rin, okay?" She replied.

She nodded and looked away as she was told in past incidents to do as such.

"Keep your eyes on me, pretty boy!" Jakotsu swung his blades at the relieved _daiyokai_.

Sesshomaru blocked them again, growling and lunging at him with renewed vigor to fight.

Suikotsu lunged at the she-wolf, seeing her duck and then leap overhead, still clutching a closed-eyed Rin to her chest, as she brought down her katana's blade on his own, sparks flying when their blades met.

_Now that Rin is with me, I can fight this guy properly_, she mused, grinding her weight down on the blades before he snarled and shoved her off.

She landed on her feet expertly, huffing and smirking at him. "Ironic that the dead is trying to get rid of the living." She mused, ducking a swipe he made for her throat, swinging her left foot out and sending it crashing into his ribs, forcing him away.

_Because of the barrier I can't go at him with my full extent, but even with just the Wolf's Crescent, I can easily kill him_, she thought, briefly looking down at her reflection in the heirloom's silver blade.

"You arrogant wolf, keep your head or you'll lose it!" Suikotsu swung his claws at her again in a series of fury swipes.

Getsu dodged each of them with little effort, ducking on the last swipe and rushing past him, her katana's blade ripping into his side she'd kicked moments ago.

More blood flew, even though it was coming from the reanimated mercenary.

"I'm the arrogant one, am I? Well, I'll be damned: the dead have a sense of humor!" Her clawed hand tightened on the teal fabric of the hilt. "You're the one who's **arrogant**!" She swung the blade sharply from the left, sending an arc of blue-green energy screaming at the mercenary.

He snarled as he flew at her again, surprising the she-wolf, his claws ripping into her right shoulder as she narrowly dodged his attack.

Blood stained her lilac sleeve, rousing the senses of her currently-occupied mate; his gold eyes sharpened at the scent of her blood.

Getsu growled and glared at Suikotsu as he turned on her, glowering up at him.

Jakotsu laughed darkly, "well it looks like it's over for your precious bitch." He purred, jerking his attention to him, seeing his gold eyes narrow dangerously. "Such cold malice! You arrogant wretch, prepare to die with your damn whore!" He swung the string of blades at him sharply like a whip.

Sesshomaru flew at him, discarding Tokijin and baffling the transvestite. "Getsu, **duck**!" He barked before he took the attack from the broadsword; his clawed hand stabbed into the left lung of his opponent just as Tokijin stabbed through the right lung of Suikotsu.

He groaned in pain and surprise, eyes wide.

"A worthless bastard corpse like you does not deserve to live after insulting my mate, as well as trying to kill my pup." He growled frigidly, twisting his hand through his back with ease.

Suikotsu sank to his knees limply after yanking Tokijin out of his chest.

Getsu glared at him before she moved away to leave him to die.

"And where do you think you're going, _**bitch**__?_" A sharp pain blossomed in her back.

She stumbled away, glaring over her shoulder at the perpetrator, thin rivulets of blood dripping from his claws as pieces of her kimono fluttered to the ground behind her.

He looked over at her alertly. "Getsu," he began, perking up as the transvestite stirred and then grinned darkly at him.

"Stupid dogs, both of you: we cannot be slain like normal humans." Jakotsu sneered.

Getsu snarled and bared her teeth at the advancing Suikotsu.

Sesshomaru yanked his hand out and hurried to her aid.

"Fool!" He cried, grinning again at his open back.

A sacred arrow shot at the claw-bearing mercenary, surprising Getsu, Sesshomaru, and Jakotsu.

Suikotsu's eyes bulged as the shard in his neck was set to become purified by the arrow.  
"Suikotsu," his comrade blanched.

"Get away from my pack!" A dagger made of ice sailed at the distracted corpse, ripping into his right shoulder and surprising him.  
Getsu's eyes widened slightly at the owner of the dagger. "You're back." She breathed.

Korihime came forward, long bow in hand as she neared the scene, her blue eyes tired and angered at the same time as they glanced at the target she'd hit; she met her sister's relieved and slightly tired silver stare and smiled dryly. "Pack sticks together no matter what."

* * *

She pouted.

At the insistence of both her mate and sister, she had been forced to leave the mountain and refrain from pursuing Naraku with her mate; so she was left babysitting the girl with her sister and Ah-Un.

_'I will not let you go further; you're injured enough from the fight, and your body isn't healing yet because of the barrier from Mt. Hakurei.' He'd stated sternly, his gold eyes unperturbed by her whines and pleas to go with him after Naraku._

'Fine, I'll just stay here and sulk!' She'd huffed and looked away from him, pursing her lips.

He'd shaken his head softly and sighed, leaning in to kiss her deeply, surprising her and letting her cling to his collar before he'd bumped foreheads gently. 'I will come for you, I promise that.' He'd purred softly.

She'd quieted and exhaled, kissing him again. 'Don't you leave me alone forever.' She'd grumbled, staring up at him stubbornly.

He'd chuckled and ran his thumb over the crescent on her cheek. 'I did make a promise.' He'd replied, kissing her again, tenderly this time, before letting go of her and walking away.

She sighed and scowled at the blue sky beyond the foliage of the tree she'd taken refuge in. Her wounds had healed at the average rate they would normally recover at, a day ago, so she was more or less free to move around now; after making sure her sister was keeping the girl busy, she'd stolen away to leap into a nearby oak just to clear her mind and relax.

She closed her eyes and rested her head against the tree's trunk with another sigh, oblivious to the goings-on of her three companions below.

"You have an interesting affinity for climbing in trees." His low voice declared.

Her eyes shot open and she jerked her head forward to stare into a pair of gold eyes. "Sesshomaru," she breathed in surprise.

He smirked slightly, shuffling on his perch to get comfortable. "You sound surprised; did you not think I would come back for you?" He wondered.

She blushed and looked down, huffing when she heard him chuckle softly. "No, it's not that! Don't sound so damn smug, either, or I'll throw you off the tree." She growled, ignoring the smirk on his lips. "I… Geez, I must look like shit right now, all bandaged up and the like." She brushed locks of hair from her face.

He exhaled patiently. "If I cared about how you looked after fighting so bravely in a battle then I wouldn't be appreciating you very well, now would I?" He replied, perking her ears.

The blush crept into her cheeks again before she turned her gaze away to the thin clouds beyond her reach. "He's back, isn't he?" Her question wasn't so much a question as it was a confirmation on her earlier assumptions.

He bristled visibly at the reminder and only exhaled, nodding. "Regrettably."

She huffed. "Good, that means that I can still fulfill my promise I made, long ago." She mused softly.

He nodded again, gold eyes tightening minutely at her words. "I would imagine your back has recovered." He guessed.

She nodded slightly, lifting a hand to rub her right shoulder out of slight reflex. "Kori's been sulking on and off; from what she told me, Koga saved her from getting the brunt of an attack by one of the now-dead Band of Seven, Genkotsu. I guess she feels indebted to him for doing so… Or maybe they did bond after all."  
She sighed and released her shoulder to favor rubbing the back of her neck.  
"Either way, it seems like she feels torn between staying with us or going to find him." She mused, her voice soft again as she felt she could relate, given she had basically been in the same situation awhile back with the _daiyokai_ currently sitting with her in the tree.

He saw the flicker of thoughtfulness in her silver stare that looked away from him, staring at the stitched fabric on her right kimono sleeve.  
"She knows that we're not the ones to decide her life for her; even though you are her older sister you can't tell her how to live. What path she chooses is for her to decide, not you or I." He offered quietly.

She nodded again, lifting her gaze to see he was staring past her at the tree, gold eyes almost distant. _He really has gotten stronger, not just in physical strength, but also intellectually. Father, did you know that he would be greater than he was when you deemed us fiancés, so long ago? Did you know that he would be the man I would one day be willing to die with, the man that I would give my heart to?_ She wondered more to herself as a soft breeze made the leaves dance and catch at loose strands of black hair.

"Even though I forced you to stay behind, you did fight your hardest on Mt. Hakurei, and I must admit that I'm proud to have a mate as strong as you." He mused, perking her ears again.

Getsu blushed, seeing that his gold eyes were on her silver stare, a warmth in them that he only ever let her see; she smiled humbly, looking away. "Don't act like you didn't fight just as hard either," she began to remind before his lips covered hers in a kiss.

Sesshomaru felt her practically melt into the tree at the kiss, her arms lifting to fold on the back of his neck as he smiled and deepened the kiss, leaning onto her.

She moaned a little and gingerly pulled away to hold onto him, running her claws down his shoulders as he held her and buried his face into the spot between her neck and shoulder.

He sighed as he took in her familiar scent that had the hint to it that reminded her and any male that got near her that she belonged to him and him alone.

* * *

A/N: not much to put atm, next chap might be a filler. not sure just yet. lol but anywho, hope you guys liked this chap and hope to hear feedback. later!


	29. Lightning - Up in the Air

A/N: where we last left off, we finished the Band of Seven/ Mt. Hakurei arc with some well-awaited fluff-borderline-smut on the part of everyone's favorite pair of lovebirds. things heat up next chap so this is like a prologue of sorts. other than that, enjoy!

****also**, forgot to add this to the vocab list i put a few chaps back:

_**"tanuki"**_ - _raccoon dog  
_

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 29: Lightning - Up in the Air_**

The girl tilted her head to one side.

"Kori-onee?"

She opened one eye at her small voice, flicking a piece of grass between her teeth. "What's up?"

"Are Getsu-onee and Lord Sesshomaru fighting?" Her brown eyes were concerned as well as curious.

Her blue eyes lifted up to the aerial combat practice going on overhead, her sister's lithe form bobbing and weaving around the swipes her mate made with his Tensaiga, her own Mangetsuga blocking some of the strikes he made with ease.

"Nah, they're just practicing. It's nothin' serious so neither one of them will hurt each other on purpose. Does that answer your question?"

The girl nodded, her own eyes watching the match with a deeper sense of curiosity in her young face. "Can you fly too, Kori-onee?"

Her ears twitched and she spat out the blade of grass. "No; I haven't learned how to control my own demonic power enough to know how to fly. Getsu-onee can fly, but that's because she's a _daiyokai_." She explained, pouting at the reminder of this factoid.

Rin blinked. "A '_daiyokai_'..? So Getsu-onee must be really strong to be able to fly and practice with Lord Sesshomaru like that!"

Korihime nodded sagely before she smiled thoughtfully at the girl's words. "She **is** the firstborn." She mused.

"What does that have to do with it?" She asked innocently, tilting her head to one side.

She flopped back into the grass, folding her arms behind her head leisurely. "Well, Getsu-onee being the firstborn gives her access to powers that our father had, such as using her wolf fire and being able to wield our grandfather's sword, Mangetsuga, which was forged from his own fang." She explained calmly.

Rin nodded again, looking up as the two blades clashed and then disengaged before swinging at each other once more. "Kori-onee, so are you just as strong?" She asked.

_Boy this kid has a lot of questions today_, she mused with a gentle smirk, glancing over at the child as she sat next to her left. "Almost; I'm not as strong as Getsu or Sesshomaru but I'm stronger than most female wolf demons considering both our parents were strong wolf demons." Korihime replied.

"We're still a family, aren't we, Kori-onee?" She guessed quietly, perking her ears.

Her eyes softened and she nodded; she reached to tickle her, making the girl giggle. "Silly, of course we are! And we're gonna stay that way forever!" She promised, grinning lightly at her laughing face.

She looked up at the she-wolf that was her babysitter and her older sister in many ways, smiling a wide innocent smile that only brightened her young face further. "I'm glad!" She giggled, trying to tickle back before she was assailed with gentle jabs to her sides that made her laugh protests in response.

_We're gonna be a family no matter what; you can count on that, pup_.

:::::::xXx::::::::

She blinked at the sudden change in breeze.

His ears twitched as he saw her sniff the air. "What is it?"

"Something's coming…" The rest of her comment was drowned by a yelp of surprise as she saw a beheaded demon body crawling up the side of the small hill they stood on; she clung to his stole before noticing that he simply stood there as if there wasn't a decapitated demon trying to get at them.

He did his best to not laugh at her comical reaction, feeling her tug on his sleeve as she poked her head beyond his shoulder.

_Is it trying to get at him because of Tensaiga?_ She wondered.

"Sesshomaru!" A voice declared, making both _daiyokai_ look to see the _hanyou_ and his pack drawing closer to where they were.  
Were they tracking the headless demon?

"Pa!" A small voice squealed from the half-breed's back before a pup that looked to either be a _tanuki_ or an otter scurrying to the decapitated body carrying a large load on its back. "Hang on, Pa!"

"Kanda the head!" The familiar small voice of the kitsune chirped desperately as he followed the pup's leave and helped him unwrap the large load from the cloth he'd carried it in, moving the severed otter demon's head to place it on the shoulders of the body.

The head simply rolled away softly onto the grass.

"**PA**!" The pup Kanda wailed into the night.

He took her hand and began walking away from the sight; she glanced over her shoulder at the distraught pup and kitsune, looking away with a soft frown of pity.

"Oi, Sesshomaru," the _hanyou_ started, making his older sibling pause. "What're you doing here? This's no coincidence, crossing paths with you…" He trailed off in something she could only assume was confusion.

He looked over his shoulder at the _hanyou_ he loathed to consider his kin. "I don't owe an explanation to someone like **you**." He stated curtly.

"Hang on, Sesshomaru!" His brow briefly twitched in annoyance at being stopped once again. "The sword you carry, the Tensaiga, it can save one hundred souls in one strike; please help us. Use your sword to bring the boy's father back." The priestess pleaded, trying to be polite with the otherwise-stoic _daiyokai_.

He snorted under his breath, "why should I? This has nothing to do with me." He rebutted coolly.

Her silver eyes looked from the priestess to the mourning otter pup and recalling her own mourning period for her late father; she tugged on his sleeve, feeling his eyes on her. "Sesshomaru."

The kitsune scurried to plant his small body firmly between the _Inu-Daiyokai_ and his path of escape, trembling slightly out of both fear and respect for the older male. "Sesshomaru, please find it in your heart to help my friend." He pleaded.

"Poor Shippo," the _hanyou_ muttered.

"If his Pop passes on, then Kanda will be left all alone!" He insisted.

Her father's smiling face appeared in her mind; _Papa_, she thought.

"Step aside." He ordered quietly, mentally giving credit to the kitsune for being so bold as to plead with a powerful _daiyokai_ such as him.

"Please, I'm begging you; please help my friend!" The kitsune begged vehemently, bowing low to the ground before the older and much more powerful _daiyokai_.

She finally exhaled. "Sesshomaru, come on, it's not as if his father was a threat to us, is it? For the moon's sake, do something." She tried to reason with him, meeting his slightly surprised gold stare with patient and slightly-pleading silver orbs.

_Her compassion for this kit has yet to not amaze me_, he thought, the surprise fading instantly when the priestess placed a hand on the aforementioned child's shoulder out of sympathy.

"You're wasting your time trying to reason with him, Shippo; Sesshomaru isn't the type to help people when they're in trouble. Besides, there's the issue of the sword itself: the Tensaiga isn't a sword someone like him knows how to use." InuYasha warned calmly.

Getsu made to open her mouth and spout a retort but decided against it and kept her mouth shut, her mind reverting to the day he'd brought Rin back from the dead.

"True enough, only someone with a caring heart can wield that sword," Miroku chimed grimly with his friend.

"Exactly." Sesshomaru agreed dismissively, starting to leave before both he and his mate sensed Tensaiga pulse at his hip; he stopped and looked at the heirloom fang, drawing it from the scabbard to see that the blade glowed blue.

_Tensaiga… is it telling him to revive the otter demon?_ She wondered with a slight frown.

"Back away." He told the otter pup, watching his mate usher him away from the corpse, the fang pulsing again; he swung the fang with ease at the sight of a trio of underworld imps that surrounded the dead demon, breaking their hold.

Both kitsune and pup watched in awe at his actions, perking up as the demon's eyes slowly opened.

"Papa!" Kanda cried as he hurried to throw his arms around the now-alive otter demon. "Papa!"

Her own childhood memories of being with her father flashed in her mind again; she smiled softly at the sight, her ears twitching when his index knuckle softly brushed away a lone tear that fell from her eye.

He saw her sniff and smile again, wiping her nose gingerly with her sleeve, before she took his hand and squeezed in silent thanks.

The older of the two otters sat up after embracing his pup, reaching to pull the various arrows and spears from his back. "I surely didn't expect to come back to life!" He said in what sounded like relief.

"Could you describe where you went after you were beheaded?" The monk asked politely.

He looked thoughtful, "it was a strange place, I'll tell you that. A world shrouded in strange white mist! I was floating through the place, just my head, and I noticed many other demon heads were there as well; they all had pained expressions on their faces." He explained.

"They must've been the demons beheaded by Hakudoshi." The _hanyou_ deduced with a grim tone.

"'Hakudoshi'; he smells like bad news." The female _daiyokai_ commented, the soft frown returning.

The group of humans plus _hanyou_ and kitsune nodded simultaneously. "He's another incarnation of Naraku." The demon slayer informed, seeing her ears twitch.

_As I figured_, her male counterpart mused as his mate's aura spiked briefly at the mention of that horrid half-breed.

"And when I went under the mist, I saw something extraordinary: giant bones! And by that, I mean that there was a colossal skeleton, still clad in magnificent armor."  
The priestess, _hanyou_, and pair of _daiyokai_ perked their ears at the mention of the skeleton adorned in armor.  
"There were a lot of other skeletons, too, so I realized that I must've been in the afterlife."

Sesshomaru walked away into the darkness; she looked at the group and smiled lightly before trotting after him until she sidled up to his right side dutifully.

"I would imagine you remember what Jaken told you about the day I went to retrieve Tetsusaiga from my father's grave."

"Every word. So apparently there's a shard of the Shikon Jewel in the Borderland."

"How do you figure?"

"Why else would Naraku disturb the grave of a powerful demon like your honorable father that could easily crush him like a pitiful cockroach with his fist alone?"

"… Point."

* * *

"So, given all that you've told me about why we're going to the Borderland, I would imagine there's a plan?" The younger she-wolf wondered as she led the dragon by the reins, walking alongside her sister.

She glanced at her companion in the lead and then nodded. "Eradicate the vermin, right love?" She replied, seeing him glance at her.

He nodded. "By any means necessary." _In order to cleanse my father's grave of that slimy prick_, he thought with a growl from his inner demon.

Neither of the two sisters were okay with going to the border between the world of the living and the dead, but this was for Sesshomaru, and he was their pack leader; wolf logic stated that they were to follow his orders or risk the consequences… Simple as that.

"How long must this journey last…?" The imp whined as he had fallen back to walking behind his ever-powerful master.

Both sisters sported a vein that twitched on their left temple.

"Honestly," the older of the two muttered before she stooped to pick up the imp by the scruff.

"U-Unhand me, insolent wolf demon! Put me down, I say!" He flailed and squawked annoyedly before he was placed on the back of the two-headed dragon next to the girl, surprising both of them.

"That should stop your whining; and if ya keep whining I'm gonna beat you into the netherworld with the Staff of Two Heads." She sent an icy glare at the protesting imp, a trick she'd learned from her mate, as a dark aura overcame her usually-calm face.

Jaken instantly shut up at the familiar glare and cut his gaze to the side with a huff.

Rin saw the comical expression that adorned her babysitter's face and giggled.

Getsu folded her arms in the sleeves of her kimono as she wordlessly moved to walk next to the _Inu-Daiyokai_.

"Seeing what you just did to shut him up, I might have reason to be concerned now." Sesshomaru mused in mock-thoughtfulness.

She huffed and bumped his hip with her own, sniffing. "Be afraid, highly afraid, of what I'm gonna do to you later." She purred, smirking up at him and winking teasingly.

He shook his head softly and chuckled under his breath, returning the smirk. "Don't even think of doubting my… skill, in that department." He growled, seeing her giggle.

"Lord Sesshomaru, look!" The imp exclaimed from the dragon, making the rest of the group look up at what he'd seen.

A giant white bird's corpse lay on its side atop a flat hill, dried blood leaking down the left side of the hill.

"It's a giant bird!" The girl chimed in awe.

Her sister sniffed the air and she grimaced. "Whoever this bird was, it wasn't slain that long ago; I can still smell the blood from the decapitation." She noted grimly, watching the imp hop off the dragon's back to go examine the corpse.

_She's got a point, though one could only guess who cut off that bird's head_, he mused, his ears twitching as the sound of some rocks dropping behind them jerked him from his thoughts.

"It seems you were late in getting here, Sesshomaru." The cool drawl of the Wind Sorceress Kagura declared from atop a higher ledge, fan in hand when they turned to see her. "This entryway has already opened and closed again." She added.

"Kagura!" Both imp and she-wolf barked; the girl scrambled to hold herself closer to the dragon's necks as the she-wolf loaded an arrow into her bow and aimed at the incarnation.

_Well look what the cat dragged in_, she mused grimly as she lowered a hand to the hilt of her katana. "Not going to try another piss-poor bribery are you?" She growled.

She huffed, "not even close, **pedigree**…" Her sneered insult came to a halt when the male _daiyokai_ leaped onto her ledge to stand a few yards away from her.

"'The entryway' to _where_, exactly?" He demanded stonily, his gold eyes mirroring the coldness that showed in his mate's silver-eyed glare.

"The path that leads to the border between this world and the next; Naraku and InuYasha have already passed through." She explained in the same tone.

"Judging by how you're talking, it sounds like you know something else; start talking." The blue-haired female mused stiffly.

"That's because I do know something else: about another path, actually. But it's dangerous. Even you three orphaned mongrels might not be able to pass through alive." She tapped her cheek with the side of her fan.

The sound of air hitting her claws hummed as the incarnation took a few steps back from the quiet female _daiyokai_ that had tried to slash at her with her claws.

Silver clashed with red.

"Since when did you care about the well-being of 'three orphaned mongrels'? Tell us where the path is and I won't rip your throat out with just my claws." She threatened frigidly, cracking her knuckles.

He stared between both females, already feeling his mate's aura spike with her rising irritation towards the 'messenger' she had just threatened to slay.

* * *

A/N: **AHMGCLIFFHANGER**... nah but srsly.. prologue to the semi-final showdown between Naraku and both Sesshomaru/ InuYasha's group. who will win and come back alive? who will go home crying? until next chap!

**title ref - "**Up in the Air**" by _30 Seconds to Mars_


	30. Madness - Streets and Furs

A/N: the semi-final showdown! the preemptive battle royale; Naraku v. the world! who will come out on top? who will be destroyed? who will even give a damn about this A/N? lol nah but srsly.. enjoy the chap! xD

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 30: Madness - Streets and Furs_**

"In this realm of fire, there's a gateway that connects to the other side: over here." She paused short of a jagged outcropping that hid a tunnel's path beneath the outstretched rock.

"Why do I get the feeling that this's a bad idea," the younger she-wolf muttered to her sister.

She elbowed her gently, her face stoic as she looked at their 'guide'; her ears twitched as she sensed his heirloom fang trembling softly at his side. _What's up with Tensaiga?_ She wondered.

"Lord Sesshomaru, are you sure it's wise to be following this woman? She might be leading you into a trap again." The imp hissed, his annoying voice not gone amiss by the trio of females plus his master.

"Be silent." The imp flinched at his stony tone. "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Tensaiga." He growled.

Both sisters noticed the soft blue glow coming from his lesser-liked katana; she placed her hand on the hilt to still its trembling, slightly surprising its wielder.

Their eyes met: she shrugged softly, offering a slight smile; he nodded, his hand squeezing hers before letting it drop from the hilt of his heirloom fang.

The trio of _yokai_ followed their red-eyed guide into the tunnel; the imp squawked a desperate complaint before scurrying after his otherwise-stronger comrades.

The blue-haired female almost jumped when she felt her foot crush something as they continued down the tunnel that sounded like porcelain.. Or bone; she only hoped it was the former.

Her sister was unperturbed by the things littering the ground she walked on, even though she knew they were (as much as her little sister had hoped otherwise) bones she stepped on with her bare feet; she kept her eyes on the brunette incarnation cautiously.

They finally stopped at the apparent end of the long tunnel. "Okay, this is as far as I'm going to take you." She announced, sidestepping the _daiyokai_ that stepped forward.

"Well thanks for the little quest into the netherworld's catacombs." Korihime mused sardonically, meeting her red orbs.

Kagura huffed and smirked derisively at her sarcasm, her red stare glancing at the two _daiyokai_ that had moved past her. "I'm not gonna get involved in this." She muttered.

Getsu glanced back at her and shrugged, slightly surprised the incarnation refused to go further. "Suit yourself; see ya around." She replied dismissively, slightly surprising her sister at her nonchalant calmness.

"What did you mean by that, Kagura; is it dangerous up ahead!?" Jaken squawked.

She scoffed, "be quiet, you fool. You're the one who asked me to show the way." Her red orbs looked to the couple again, particularly at the gold-eyed male. "I did warn you that I wouldn't guarantee your safety." She reminded.

"S' not like we need your supervision to go into the Borderland." The younger sister rebutted coolly, arms folded across her chest as she shrugged past the incarnation, her shoulder lightly clipping with hers, as her companions walked ahead. "But thanks for bein' a ferryman; later, wind witch." She declared, the imp scurrying at her heels.

::::::::xXx::::::::

She yelped as she almost fell down into the mist-covered pit of the Borderland.

She grabbed her wrist in time, gathering up her demonic power quickly and pulling her up. "Hold onto me, Kori." She ordered, letting her cling to her left arm as they –that is to say, Getsu, Sesshomaru, Korihime, and Jaken—flew into the mist-covered land.

Both sisters' eyes widened in awe at the unmistakable sight of the demon skeleton clad in armor.

**That's** _the Inu no Taisho?_ The female _daiyokai_ wondered.

"Sesshomaru, that's your father?" Her sister asked as they were flying side-by-side.

He nodded. "Hn. Getsu..." he began to instruct.

"I'm not leaving your side, you know; you can get that ridiculous thought out of your head right now." She interjected calmly, meeting his disgruntled gold scowl with a patient look. "We've come too far to turn back now. All three of us! Besides, Naraku is our problem as much as he is yours."

He growled under his breath at her too-correct words, exhaling. "Fine, but stay close. Both of you." He ordered.

Both sisters shared a look and then smiled at him. "**You got it**!"

He smiled a little at that, glaring forward.

* * *

The _hanyou_ yelped as his sharp punch sent him sprawling back into the further recesses of the late-_daiyokai_'s maw.  
Both sisters exhaled.

"InuYasha!" The priestess barked in surprise before the rag-tag group of humans plus _neko _and kitsune hurried to their friend's side.

"Was that necessary?" The female _daiyokai_ wondered as he finished scolding –or, knowing Sesshomaru, "berating"—his little brother for disturbing their father's grave and leaped out to land atop the tip of a high peak to stand off against the vile _hanyou_ that had given them hell for over a century.

He ignored her –knowing he was going to probably get an earful later—and instead narrowed his gold eyes in disgust and annoyance.  
"_Vermin_." He spat.

Both sisters followed his line of sight and glared at the _hanyou_.

"Kori, go help InuYasha." She urged quietly, perking her ears.

She balked, "but onee-chan!"

"Do it, Korihime. I know you can't fly very well so I'm telling you for your own good… Please, Kori-chan." Her silver eyes were soft, reminding her of their mother's usually-soft blue stare for a brief moment.

She nodded and obeyed, hugging her tightly before letting go, leaping to land in the maw of the late _Inu-Daiyokai_.

"Kori-chan!" The kitsune declared in surprise when the blue-haired female landed nimbly inside the maw, moving to their group.

"Keh, so why'd **you** stay behind?" The _hanyou_ wondered, pissed that he'd basically been kicked out of the fight but at the same time he was relieved to see the 'pedigree-princess' had come to their side.

She jerked a thumb behind her at the impending battle. "Getsu made me stay out of it; same thing Sesshomaru did to you, only… less painful." _Physical-wise_, she inwardly added with a grimace.

"But you're almost as strong as your sister; why did she make you sit it out?" The demon slayer asked, meeting her pissy blue stare.

She sighed and lifted a decaying skull, turning it this way and that in her hand. "As I said, the same reason Sesshomaru made the _baka-inu_ sit it out: she doesn't want me to get hurt." She replied quietly.

The aforementioned _hanyou_ guffawed. "Bull-_**shit**__!_ My life should be the **LAST** thing that jackass cares about! What the hell ever gave you **that** friggin' idea?" He barked.

"You're still brothers, InuYasha, remember!?" Korihime snapped, tossing the skull in her hand at his head and looking away, crossing her arms at her chest. "Even if you're only related because of your father, and even though Sesshomaru hates you because your father died protecting your mother when you were born doesn't change the fact that you're brothers. You're pack, InuYasha. Pack doesn't hate each other to the point of death." She explained angrily.

InuYasha quieted and then huffed, rubbing the bump from her throw gingerly. "Wolves are different than dogs, remember?" He grumbled.

She made to fire back a retort before sensing something from the far corner.

'_Young one, do you still wish to fight?_' A low gravelly voice asked, making the _hanyou_ look at the owner of the voice.  
A large blackened skull with glowing red eyes stared at the half-breed.

:::::::xXx::::::::

"You're stronger than InuYasha; that much I'll say."

A wide arc of green energy screamed at the barrier from the side, making the surface ripple; his red eyes sharpened slightly.

"And where are my manners? It's been a while, hasn't it, Princess Getsuei?" He drawled.

She flicked her wrist, bristling. _Dying Wolf's Blood didn't even pierce the damn barrier; if InuYasha used his Red Tetsusaiga like he did that night with the panther tribe, then Sesshomaru and I could land the death blow_, she mused, watching her mate send blow after blow at the barrier but still it didn't work.

"Do you really wish to kill me that bad, Sesshomaru?" He chuckled, meeting his narrowed gold stare; his lip curled. "Very well then, I shall grant your wish."

Three thick green dragon-like limbs shot out of the barrier, forming mouths of jagged fangs as they sailed at him.

"Look out, Lord Sesshomaru!" The imp cried shrilly from inside the maw of the great demon.

A jet of blue fire screamed at the limbs, destroying them on contact and surprising the _hanyou_.

He looked at her as she neared his side, cracking the knuckles of her right fist.  
She met his stare and winked, glaring at the _hanyou_ that cackled softly; thick plumes of miasma spewed out from the limbs she'd burned, filtering out into the misty air.

"Korihime, put up a barrier; there's miasma coming your way!" She hollered.

The bright pink glow of her sister's barrier came into view seconds later, a relieving sign.

More miasma spilled onto them, slightly surprising her before she hovered closer to his side and slipped her scabbard from her side, quickly connecting the bottom of the scabbard and tip of the hilt together: a circular, almost-oval blue barrier-dome formed over them, blocking them from getting the brunt of the miasma spill.

"Your barrier is almost an oval-shape," he noted quietly, perking her ears.

She nodded, smiling at him. "I guess I really have gotten stronger." She replied, watching the miasma lessen around them. "Sesshomaru, when I give the signal, use the Dragon Strike and I'll use Dying Wolf's Blood; if we hit him when his barrier is down with both attacks, we just might be able to destroy him." She instructed, perking his ears.

He nodded, watching her drop the barrier, returning her scabbard to her side. "Tactical thinking… You really have become your father's daughter." He mused, seeing her look up at him in surprise.

Her eyes softened and she nodded again, her cheeks warming. "Wouldn't be here if I didn't think like that, now would I?" She shrugged.

His gold eyes glared at the _hanyou_ that had seemed unfazed by the she-wolf's protection of him. "You're not deluded enough to think this miasma would have any effect on either my mate or me." He scoffed.

He sneered, "No matter if it doesn't. So what now, Sesshomaru? The miasma will increase each time either you or your mongrel princess cut my body… and everyone in this area will die without fail."

She briefly glanced over at the still-shining pink glow from her sister's barrier and huffed. _Not if Kori can help it_, she thought. _Her barrier was able to withstand the explosives of Genkotsu back on Mt. Hakurei so what's to stop it from not being touched by your pathetic miasma?_

Sesshomaru closed his eyes serenely. "Naraku, is that all you have to say to me? You seem to think I would hold my sword back for the sake of humans: I'm not merely so damn sentimental!" He sent a wordless Dragon Strike at the limbs and severing them, sending more miasma into the air.

Naraku snickered as the attack missed again, red eyes glittering. "So it doesn't matter to you if everyone dies? Well, you're showing your true colors as a pure-blooded demon, Sesshomaru; your heart is unlike the others... Even towards your own pack."

Getsu bristled; Korihime glanced over at him and her lip curled.

"My heart has nothing to do with this. Naraku, you will be defeated today, whether by my hand or those of my family." He bared the front side of Tokijin as a breeze stole past them.

All three _yokai_ perked up as they felt the oncoming rush of demonic wind from the maw of the late _Inu-Daiyokai_.

"**WIND SCAR**!" The _hanyou_ shouted as the infamous attack screamed at the barrier-encased villain, crystalline shards flying at him and dismantling both the miasma and the barrier-bubble he had created.

_The barrier!_ She thought in awe.

"Onee-chan!" Her sister came forward, having borrowed the twin-tailed _neko_ and looking at her, smiling.

She nodded, looking at her mate. "Get ready."

He felt both her aura and his own spike, also feeling his sister-in-law's aura spike as she loaded an arrow into her bow, aiming past the _neko_'s head at the shell-shocked _hanyou_.

"Kori, when I tell you, fire. Got it?" She looked at her sister to see her soft pink aura was radiating around her in a thin layer.  
She winked and nodded, keeping the arrow pointed at their enemy. "Right."

The _hanyou_ looked at the trio and huffed, sneering. "Well isn't this reminiscent? It's enough to make me sick." He spat, hoping to goad one of them into attacking beforehand.

"Hold tight, Kirara." She urged her steed, hearing her purr and then nod, sending a growl at the _hanyou_.  
All three _yokai_ felt the infamous fang pulse from inside the maw of the late _Inu-Daiyokai_.

"**_ADAMANT BARRAGE_**_!_" InuYasha roared; a wide array of crystalline shards screamed at their enemy, impaling him like a skewered boar.

His red eyes were wide in horror as pain wracked his body.  
"C-Curse you, InuYasha…!" He snarled.

"**Now**!"

"_Hit the mark!_" Korihime fired the pink-infused arrow.

"**_DRAGON STRIKE_**_!_" Sesshomaru shouted, swinging Tokijin.

"**_DYING WOLF'S BLOOD_**_!_" Getsu screamed, flicking her wrist sharply to the left.

A wall of cool blue and bright green energy mixed screamed at the _hanyou_.  
The combined attacks split apart the vile foe, his body ripping into shreds. _S-such power…!_ He managed to think.

She lowered her bow and held onto the _neko_'s mane out of reflex as his remains swirled in a circle. "Did it work?" She wondered of her steed, her blue eyes trained on the circular cycle of the shreds of his body.

Her eyes widened slightly as his remains started to fade; _he's disappearing_, he mused.

"Kori, load up another…"

A sacred arrow screamed at the remains, connecting with the tainted shard he had taken; bright lights came from the connection as the shard was instantly purified.

"The shard," she quieted in surprise.

"Kagome, you did it!" She crowed, beaming over at the priestess.

The mist faded from around them and the sky cleared to look like it did in the world of the living.

"Thanks for your help, Kirara." Getsu hugged the _neko_ gently who purred and nuzzled her cheek before taking her sister's hand and helping her onto her peak, sending the _neko_ back to her master.

"Are you two all right?" Sesshomaru asked as his mate sheathed her katana and his sister-in-law slung her bow over her shoulder.

Korihime nodded. "Peachy. Can we get out of here though? I'd rather not spend the rest of eternity here in your father's grave." She asked sheepishly.

Getsu chuckled and folded her arm over her shoulder, looking at her mate and winking.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and smirked, leading the way out of the Borderland with his mate at his heels.

* * *

A/N: well did i say there would be a showdown or didn't i? xDD just a head's up i don't think i'll be covering the filler ep 'Forever With Lord Sesshomaru', only because i'm so eager to get started with the _Kanketsu-hen_. just figured i'd let my doting readers know that. anywho, see ya!

**title ref - "**This is Madness**!" by _Hans Zimmer ft. Junkie XL_ from the Man of Steel OST/ as a factoid, i also used "**Hanyou InuYasha**" from the anime OST 1 for the fight scene with Naraku.


	31. Extinction: Breathing (Prologue)

A/N: this chap is technically a filler as well as learning some vital info regarding Naraku. not much to put so enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 31: Extinction - Breathing (Prologue)**_

Mist surrounded the riverbank they walked on.

She frowned slightly at the thickness of the mist, continuing to walk alongside the two-headed dragon.  
The stink of dried blood alerted her sister's nose.

She sniffed the air before her eyes sharpened slightly; _this blood, it smells like her_, she thought, reaching to tug on his sleeve. "Sesshomaru," she began.

His gold eyes lifted to stare at her and then at the shadowed figure of someone riding a giant feather overhead; the figure collapsed and tumbled into the river, creating a soft splash.

Both females looked at the figure as the trio of _yokai_ watched it float above water until they recognized it was Kagura.  
"Kagura…?" The younger she-wolf wondered in surprise.

:::::::wWw::::::::

"She traveled all the way here like this? She's a goner if you ask me!" The imp sniffed, doing his best to ignore the large bump on his head given earlier by his master.

The blue-haired female huffed. "I agree with Jaken; shouldn't we kill her and be rid of her nuisances?" She wondered from standing next to her brother-in-law, her blue eyes trained on the back of her sister that surveyed the injury to the wind _yokai_.

"You're not the one with healing powers, Kori, so you technically don't have a say in that decision." She stated patiently, her palms glowing lilac as she hovered them over the open wound and began to heal her.

She scoffed, pursing her lips before scowling at the male _daiyokai_. "You're the alpha here, shouldn't you stop her?" She demanded with thinning patience, disbelieving that her sister was wasting her powers on a wench like the unconscious Kagura currently in their company.

He ignored the angered tone in her usually-patient voice, gold eyes staring beyond the small meadow of green. "She wants to help, even if Kagura is technically our enemy. Why should I stop her when she wants to help? Besides, once she sets her mind on something, she usually doesn't stop until she achieves it. You know that as well as I." He replied calmly, further irking his sister-in-law.

She clicked her tongue and huffed, looking away. "You're hopeless sometimes, y'know that?" She grumbled.

He smirked slightly at her reluctant defeat, perking his ears as the newcomer female stirred.

She drew away and rocked onto her heels as her patient twitched before lifting herself up on her hands, her red eyes swiveling to stare at the stoic stare of the female _daiyokai_. "You people." She grumbled, sitting up on her knees and looking away, disgruntled that she had been saved by an idiot mongrel like Sesshomaru.

"There're virgin eyes here, fix yourself up." The blue-haired female pointed out stiffly, folding her arms at her chest.

She huffed and did as instructed, pulling her kimono closer to cover her exposed torso; her red eyes shifted from her nurse to the pissy she-wolf beyond them, the girl and imp that had been watching, the two-headed dragon grazing, and finally to the silver-haired _daiyokai_.

"Whoever struck you like that, they used a high-concentration of demonic energy; I removed it from your wound with little effort. So in a way, you're welcome." The ebony-haired _daiyokai_ informed calmly, arms crossed in the sleeves of her kimono.

Her lip curled and she scoffed. "I didn't ask for your help, pedigree. Besides, why did you help me? Didn't you want to kill me the last time we met?" She wondered cattily.

Her own lip briefly curled but other than that her pretty face remained blank, yet another trick she'd picked up from her male counterpart. "What happened in the past is in the past. You showed us the way to the Borderland without trying to stab us in the back so I healed your wound. We're even; it's as simple as that." She explained in a patient tone she usually used to settle her sister if she ever got her temper worked up, further annoying the already-disgruntled incarnation.

"You sure your boy-toy didn't tell you to heal me?" She growled.

She snorted as his brow twitched in annoyance. "No, actually, he didn't. He didn't ask me to help a traitor to Naraku, I acted of my own." She replied, seeing her eyes sharpen.

Kagura bristled. "You _bitch_, how did you…?" Her red eyes shot over at the blue-eyed female before rounding on her sister.

"A little birdy told me. Aside from that piece of info, I had a feeling you had turned your back on him, after that day you led us to the Borderland. A wolf nose knows." Getsu smirked slightly and tapped the side of her nose lightly in emphasis.

She growled under her breath before huffing, looking away. "If I wasn't recovering I'd kill you for spilling the beans, you little pedigree bitch." She spat.

Her sister scoffed and stomped forward. "Oh yeah? I'm in perfect health, unlike you, so I could gladly fulfill that death wish of yours…" She growled, smirking.

"**Enough**, Korihime." He spoke finally, making the two she-wolves look at him before the one he'd spoken to snorted and looked away, glaring daggers at the trees.

"Other than Getsu-onee healing your injury, it was Lord Sesshomaru that saved you after all!" The human girl piped up, blissfully unaware of the pissy aura radiating from her babysitter.

She glanced over at him and huffed. "So you have some compassion after all, and not just for your two pedigree princesses." She sneered.

He bristled out of habit as his mate sent her a stony look and his sister-in-law made a noise in the back of her throat somewhere between a snarl and yowl as her blue eyes glared daggers at her. "Instead of mocking me for doing the chivalrous thing you should be thanking my mate for healing your wound." He rebutted coolly, turning his back on her to walk away. "We're going." He announced.

Her sister was all too happy to trot after him, dragging the dragon after his lead; the female _daiyokai_ looked over her shoulder at the _yokai_ she'd helped and dipped her head briefly in a miniscule nod, following her little sister.

"Hang on; don't you wanna know what happened to me?" She barked.

He scoffed. "Look, I don't care about what happened to you…"

"Even if I told you I found Naraku's heart!?" Kagura cried.

The trio of _yokai_ stopped.

Getsu huffed softly. _I knew it_, she thought, turning back to stare at the female.

"Listen, Sesshomaru, and you two pedigrees as well: you must've noticed by now that Naraku never dies, no matter how many times he's slain... That's because his heart is located somewhere else. In order to destroy Naraku, you have to destroy his heart!" She explained.

Korihime snorted once she'd soaked in the large amount of information, arms folding over her chest. "You're pretty bold to be telling this vast amount of information to three pure-blood demons that almost killed him back in the Borderland." She mused, talking over the imp's boisterous comment about trusting her word.

"It's up to you whether to believe me or not; but it'd be easier if you took this." She held up a small green shard cluster that glowed a faint jade color.

The older of the two she-wolves moved away from her mate's side to look closely at it, stooping next to the wind demon. "It's almost like a Shikon shard," she muttered quietly.

"It's a demonic aura crystal: Naraku stole a jewel named the Fuyoheki that has the ability to mask his demonic aura. He uses it to completely hide the location of his heart."  
She broke the shard cluster in two, handing the larger piece to the female _daiyokai_, watching her inspect it and hold it between her left thumb and index finger.  
"That crystal stops glowing when it's near the Fuyoheki; that's what happened when I attacked Goryomaru's temple. From what I can tell, Goryomaru is the protector of Naraku's heart." Kagura added darkly, seeing her silver eyes blink.

Getsu looked at the shard again, stowing it in the folds of her collar and nodding, straightening to her feet.

"So… Goryomaru, right? He's one of Naraku's lackeys; shouldn't you of all people already know that?" Korihime asked curiously, blue eyes turning to the red-eyed stare of the wind _yokai_.

"Naraku doesn't trust me enough to tell me about it." She huffed.

"If what you're saying is true, then Naraku must already know that you're after his heart: he, surprisingly, is smart enough to figure out that much." Sesshomaru commented dryly.

Kagura bristled in realization.

Both sisters nodded.

Getsu sighed, "Regrettably, what he says is right. It'd be pointless as well as suicidal of you to take further action." She agreed.

She huffed, "so what about you, Sesshomaru, and you as well, Korihime, Getsu? Why don't you get him?"

Korihime snorted again. "You have a sense of humor after all."

"Kagura, are you actually planning to have me kill him for you?" Sesshomaru scoffed.

"Naraku can't be killed other than by someone of yours or Getsu's caliber; noone else surpasses you two in neither skill nor demonic power." Kagura stated, surprising the imp and girl.

Getsu quirked a brow. _Is that flattery?_ She wondered, her inner demon humming lowly in her ears at the female's compliment directed mostly to the _Inu-Daiyokai_ she had claimed as her mate.

'_If she comes up with something deeper than 'flattery', she will be slain in a heartbeat._' Her inner beast thundered a vow, its voice sounding like it was jealous.

Sesshomaru huffed, ignoring the evident snicker that came from his inner demon.

"I guess I'd better be going now, before the younger pedigree here tries to kill me. Before I go, let me ask you something, Princess." Kagura stood, looking at the silver-eyed female.

Getsu shrugged. "Shoot."

"Thanks for the help. But I want to know why you healed me… We're technically enemies, and your brat sister hates my guts apparently. Don't tell me you're doing this just to get even for what I did for you back in the Borderland."

She met her red eyes and then smiled a little. "Like I said earlier, I did it of my own free will. I wasn't raised to strike down someone who was previously injured, either. You have your own reason to hate Naraku and I have mine. I'd think that would make us comrades, even though I know you'd swallow needles rather than your pride if you ever fought at our side. But I digress." She explained.

"Well, I'll be damned: I never thought I would hear the Princess of the Western Wolf Clan act so noble." She mused.

Getsu huffed and smirked toothily. "Come now, Kagura, ya've already said I was strong enough to kill that prick. Any further flatteries and I might just cry." She teased.

Kagura snorted and looked away, pulling a feather from her hair. "Piss off, pedigree. See ya around." The wind picked up around her as she took off into the blue sky, looking over her shoulder past the two wolf sisters at their leader, his silver hair dancing in the wind.

_I just… I wanted to see him one last time, before I die_, she thought, turning back to flee into the white clouds beyond her.

Korihime sighed dramatically, "Great moon, my sister has turned traitor on her own kin!" She wailed.

**_THWACK_**.

"Don't get me started with you, little sister; yer stupid whining was enough to give me damn migraine." Getsu growled, cracking her knuckles as a large bump swelled on her sister's head.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes at their antics, turning to lead the way away from the river with his mate at his side. "Sometimes I wonder who's babysitting who…" He muttered.

"That lady didn't seem to want to trick us this time around; I'll bet it's because she's secretly in love with Lord Sesshomaru." Rin mused lightly to the imp.

Korihime halted in mid-step.

Sesshomaru blinked and halted.

Getsu froze, slightly surprising the girl.

"**E-EH**!?" The imp balked.

"Um, Getsu-onee?" She began, tilting her head to one side innocently.

"Let's get moving." Getsu growled, storming ahead of her mate.

Sesshomaru sweatdropped and wordlessly followed, keeping a safe distance of a few steps behind his mate he could swear that he saw a dark aura emanating from her petite form.

He had a vague feeling that he was going to have to make it up to her later… Not too much later, though.

:::::::wWw:::::::

She smiled down at the girl sleeping next to her with her head on her knee, running the claws of her right hand through her brown hair gently.

Her sister was off practicing several hundred feet away in a more closed-in clearing that gave her enough room to practice but didn't feel entirely-too claustrophobic.

He had gone to "apologize" to her, but God only knew how he would work that one out; she was still quiet, even when they'd passed by the disturbed grave in that Goryomaru man's temple the day before.

A quiet Getsu was a pensive Getsu.. and that didn't spell out anything good for a certain silver-haired male.

* * *

Her right hand was stretched out before her, claws drawn, before she closed her hand into a fist and then twisted on her left heel, right foot swinging into the air horizontally as if she was going to land a foot in the ribs of an invisible enemy.

He paused short of making his presence known to watch her lithe body twist this way and that, one foot or fist thrown into the air horizontally, to the side, or even vertically as if she were landing an uppercut.

Déjà vu struck him as he remembered seeing her in the same light so many years ago, in a different time.

Of course she was at least twice as strong as she was back then, more accustomed to the world and how it worked, and more intellectually matured.

But one thing didn't change no matter how many years passed: she would always dance for **_him_**.

The dance ended as she stooped a little to grip her knees and pant softly, beads of sweat trailing down her cheeks from her brow.  
Her eyes closed and she sighed in something akin to relief and weariness.

"You still dance beautifully." He mused, perking her ears and almost making her start.

She looked up past locks of ebony that shielded her eyes to see his gold eyes were on her; she blushed on reflex and straightened, placing a hand on the back of her hip and feeling the kinks loosen as she straightened to her full height of five-foot-one.

"It's not dancing, as I've told you. I'm nowhere near as graceful as a dancer, anyway. Too friggin' short." She mumbled the last bit, stretching her arms infront of her as if she were punching someone, the rest of the kinks loosening when she stretched her tired muscles.

He made a face, huffing quietly. "I didn't say that you danced on a stage. It's only in battle that you dance, actually." He defended.

She felt the blush from moments ago return to stain her cheeks; she cut her gaze to the side, crossing her arms at her chest. "You're still not off the hook, no matter how many flatteries you pull, dog demon." She reminded pointedly.

He quieted and watched her brush the sweat from her brow. "I never felt that way, about her; not once." He mused.

She bristled slightly and snorted. "I know you didn't. I've lived with you for too long to know that you wouldn't feel something for a traitorous woman like her. I just, I guess I overthought what Rin said about her secretly loving you." Even the reminder tasted bitter on her tongue, as if she were swallowing acid.

"Getsu…" He sighed and looked up at the waxing crescent of white in the sky overhead. "You were intimidated." He stated.

Another bristle. "Regrettably."

He rubbed the bridge of his nose between his eyes with his thumb and index finger, releasing another sigh. "You shouldn't feel that way, especially towards her…"

"It's not like she's blind to you, is she? She knows that you're handsome, Sesshomaru: any female that comes near us knows that, and I… I guess I feel insecure, about that." Her voice trailed off as she closed her right clawed hand into a light fist, moonlight bouncing off the front of her claws.

"You know at this point that I don't want any other female, Getsuei." He saw her cringe a little at his usage of her full name, dropping his hand. "I just want **_you_**. I always have, ever since that first day we met." He stated quietly.

The blush returned again, assailing her cheeks with a dark pink hue; she looked up at him with slightly wide and innocent silver eyes. She smiled softly, meekly, exhaling. "That's why I feel the way I do. Even though I never tell anyone, not even Kori, I always have the paranoid feeling that one day some bitch is gonna take you away from me, and leave me alone forever…" She grinded her teeth together at the thought, bristling again.

He inwardly groaned at her stubbornness, closing the distance between them and taking her wrist, pulling her to his chest.

She blushed again and then calmed, resting her cheek on his chest as his arm wrapped around her hips.

"You stubborn, beautiful, silly princess. I've told you before that I won't leave your side, and I meant every word. I am not going to leave you, Getsu, not ever. I refuse to leave you." Sesshomaru vowed, his arm tightening possessively on her hips as she curled a finger in a stray lock of his silver hair.

Getsu quieted and nodded, relieved that he was promising such a thing, wrapping her arms around his strong shoulders and closing her eyes. "Thank you, Sesshomaru."

He smiled and lifted his arm to brush some hair from her cheek, lightly tracing his clawed thumb over the violet crescent on her cheek.

She smiled back, burying her cheek into his _kosode_.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

A/N: well i thought that was a cute filler don't you? xD


	32. Animal: Senses, Control, Freedom

A/N: last chap was mostly a filler but don't fret this chap is mostly action so enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 32: Animal: Senses, Control, Freedom_**

"Not even **_close_**_!_" An arrow coated in pink demonic aura screamed at the limb, severing the demon's hold from the wolf.

The arm fell with the would've-been-dead prey caught in it; he swiped at it with his claws, scrambling free to straighten and see a pair of blue eyes glaring past him at the hulking figure that had tried to take his shards.

Korihime aimed another arrow at the demon, bristling. "Koga, get away from him." She ordered.

The pale demon with wings grimaced as his limb regenerated, glaring at the insolent female wolf. "Wench, who are you?" He demanded.

"Princess of the Western Wolf Clan, Korihime. Judging by your stink, I would imagine you're Goryomaru… or rather who he used to be, before Naraku changed your form from that of a pathetic human aesthetic. His scent is reeking off your vulgar body, Moryomaru." She growled frostily, gripping the bow tightly out of reflex.

Moryomaru sneered as his muscles tensed. "Ah, you are the younger sister of that mongrel bitch, Getsuei; yes, Naraku has told me about you two, about how he slaughtered your pack of whining dogs so callously. He said it was as easy as crushing an insect." He extended his reformed limb, sending several appendages of the limb at her.

"Pathetic vassal, know your place!" The arrow glowed pink before it sailed at him, ripping the limb in half down the center as it ripped off his limb with ease.

Blood flew from the missing arm as she lowered her bow slightly and kept her stony blue orbs on his pained face.

"Anyone who disrespects my sister or my clan so damn callously will not survive my arrows: I'd suggest you remember that, weak bastard." Korihime growled, blue eyes dangerous as her aura had spiked with her anger.

Koga watched the she-wolf with slight surprise: _since when did Kori get this strong? Her aura is almost as powerful as Getsu's_, he mused.

"I once slayed many demons in the past, but none of them were as loud-mouthed and foolish as you, you wolf brat!" Moryomaru charged at her.

"Kori!" Koga barked as she aimed another arrow at him, waiting for him to get closer.

_C'mon, just a bit closer_…

A sacred arrow shot at the oncoming demon, surprising the wolf demons as well as the flying demon.

He glared down at the she-wolf's surprised blue stare, huffing and leaping into the air. "This isn't finished, princess." He disappeared in a swirling violet twister.

She growled and then huffed, returning her arrow to the quiver on her back. "Damn him; he's definitely cohorts with Naraku, only a coward like him would flee at the slightest hint of a sacred arrow." She grumbled, looking at the male clan head and smiling in relief. "You okay, Koga?" She stepped closer to his side.

"Idiot princess," he scolded, pulling her into a tight embrace that made her squeak.

Korihime blushed, looking at him. "K-Koga," she stammered.

"What the friggin' hell were you thinking, trying to kill that guy? You coulda gotten consumed by him." Koga demanded as his arms tightened on her waist.

She perked her ears at hearing the worry in his voice, her eyes softening. "Someone has to keep you alive if you can't do it yourself." She replied quietly.

He growled under his breath and pulled away a little to scowl into her blue eyes that almost matched his own. "Yer more reckless than back on Mt. Hakurei, y'know that?" He groaned.

She chuckled and smiled again, smacking his chest playfully. "Since when didja complain about it?" She asked coyly.

Koga smirked at her innocent playfulness and squeezed again. "Since now." She blushed and then laughed.

"**KORI-CHAN**!" Korihime was bum-rushed by both Ginta and Hakkaku, the aforementioned males squeezing her in a bear-hug that sandwiched her between their crocodile-teary-eyed bodies.

"I-It's great to see you guys too!" She laughed and grinned, failing to give them both a hug due to her current place.

"**Oi, get off my woman, both of you**!" Koga barked, shoving both male wolves away from the female, standing between them and her protectively with a growl in his throat.

**_THWACK_**.

"Since when am I '_your woman_'…?" Korihime shouldered her long bow after braining him with it, watching a large bump swell on his head as she deadpanned.

"Kori-chan what brings you here? Isn't your pack lookin' for you?" Hakkaku asked, perking her ears as his pack leader rubbed his head gingerly.

She shrugged. "I caught the stink of Naraku and followed my nose; Sesshomaru and Getsu are waiting for me, so I just came to see what all the noise was about." She elbowed the male clan head. "And I caught this lummox's scent too, so of course I had to come see." She added.

He blushed and then huffed, elbowing her. "Piss off, princess."

She chuckled and smiled again, sighing. "I'd better get moving before they leave me behind." She embraced the two wolf brothers affectionately before turning lastly to the reason she had come. "See you around, wolf boy." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek with a wink before she felt him squeeze her hips and then let her slip free, turning to spirit away back to her awaiting party.

"Hey, Koga, so do you think she still likes InuYasha?" Ginta dared wonder.

Koga snorted and whacked him over the head chidingly. "Dumbass, 'course not! Kori's obviously over the mutt, and she's into me." He smirked proudly at that, looking in the direction the female had left, a soft breeze stealing past him.

If he didn't know any better, he'd think they had bonded.

::::::::oOo::::::::

"You smell like him again." She pointed out.

She blushed and then huffed, "get off my back. I can choose my own mate as I please."

He smirked slightly as her sister blinked. "I had a feeling you chose that wolf."

Her cheeks flared red and she sent him a steely glare.  
**_THWACK_**.

"At least he isn't as gloating as you are, _baka-inu_." She cracked her knuckles.

A large bump swelled on his head.

Her sister exhaled patiently, a sweatdrop forming. _Honestly, Korihime_… Her mind traveled back to what she'd told them concerning the attack on Koga and she bristled, tapping her chin_.  
So Goryomaru, or in this instance, Moryomaru, is the keeper of Naraku's heart_, she thought. _If he's trying to collect shards then that means he won't be a push-over. Taking him down isn't going to be easy, but if we run into him, all three of us should be able to kill him_.

* * *

She looked at the green shard in her palm, eyes sharpening as she saw that the aura was weakening.  
_Then that means_… She closed her hand and stowed it inside her collar again. "Sesshomaru, the shard's aura is weakened." She declared, making both him and her sister stop walking.

"Look, there's a cave up ahead!" The girl piped up from riding the dragon, pointing at a cave opening yards away from them.

She sniffed the air and growled, lifting a hand to her quiver. "Onee-chan, it's him." She declared, placing an arrow in her bow and bristling.

"Stay back," he ordered them, glaring at the opening before he sent an attack from Tokijin at it, destroying the rock.

"Rin, stay close to Ah-Un." The female _daiyokai_ ordered gently, feeling the stranger's aura spike as the dust from the blow faded out slowly, revealing a hulking gangly demon with pale skin and hair donning thick green armor on his body. _So this is Moryomaru_, she mused, her hand lowering to the hilt of Mangetsuga.

"You are InuYasha's older brother." The armor-encased demon mused of the male _daiyokai_.

He bristled, "I have never considered that lowly half-breed to be my brother."

_Yer still pack regardless_, his sister-in-law deadpanned.

"But the fact that you know that much means you're Naraku's heart, aren't you… Moryomaru?" He gripped the hilt of Tokijin.

"Sesshomaru, you'll regret wielding your sword before greeting me properly." He seemed to chastise him.

He bristled. "That I doubt: but you'll regret uttering InuYasha's name in my presence that much I promise you."

The air spiked with his immense demonic aura before he flew at him, the sound of metal clashing against metal ringing in the intensified atmosphere.

"His lunges aren't working, even with Tokijin," she growled, her own aura spiking angrily. "Sesshomaru, get out of the way!" She fired the arrow coated in pink aura, sending it flying at the demon.

He landed on one foot nimbly as the arrow hit, bouncing off his armor as if it were a twig.

_My arrow…!_ She thought in surprise, perking up as Moryomaru sent three red-lined white orbs careening at her.

"**Wolf's Crescent**!" A jet of blue-green energy screamed at the oncoming orbs, the instant collision making the two attacks implode and send more dust into the air.

"Onee-chan," she breathed as she flicked her wrist and glared at the hodgepodge demon.

"So you are the infamous Getsuei of the West. Naraku has told me so much about your meddling ways." Moryomaru drawled, blue eyes glowering back at the irritated she-wolf, feeling her aura spike and be as dense as her mate's was.

"Did he? I'm flattered." She flicked her wrist and swung the katana to the left; a wide jet of purple energy screamed at him, being absorbed by his armor and slightly baffling her.

_Mangetsuga's Blackened Wolf Fang was absorbed,_ he thought in surprise, his gold eyes sharpening. _Moryomaru certainly will be a pain in the ass to kill_, he inwardly growled.

"Mangetsuga," she began softly.

"How pathetic, I had been hoping you would be a better challenge than your mongrel sister!" The beige appendage on his right arm extended into four different heads as they flew at her.

"Onee-chan!" She barked, perking up as her mate sent another green blast careening at the appendage, making it crumble before regenerating as it retreated to his arm socket.

"Always have a contingency plan, right?" He wondered, perking her ears.

She looked at him and nodded, glaring at the demon and bristling. "Right." She watched him leap forward, sending blast after blast of green energy at him and dodging the red-lined white orbs that sailed at him in response.

_Now he's really pissin' me off_, she thought, cracking the knuckles of her free hand before she flew forward.

"Getsu-onee!" She exclaimed.

She flicked her wrist and sent a raging torrent of green energy screaming at the demon, forcing him to draw back from trying to hit her mate, distracting him. "**Nagareboshi-kaen Taiho**!" She stretched out her left hand before a wide wave of blue fire hurtled into Moryomaru, sending him flying back from the blast.

He landed nimbly as she also dropped to one foot, seeing that she was panting slightly from the exertion. "Getsu," he declared.

She looked at him and smiled, tossing her hair from her face. "I'm alright." She assured, straightening and gripping the hilt of her heirloom fang. _Mangetsuga, this might be our one chance to take down Naraku, so don't spook me again like earlier, okay?_ She thought, glaring at the dust that had formed from her attack.

Five wide red-lined white orbs screamed at where she stood.

She quickly blocked them with her barrier, the barrier that same almost-oval shape as it had appeared back in the Borderland.

The wind whipped at her hair as she lowered the barrier and leaped back in time as Moryomaru crashed his left arm down on where she stood; she landed nimbly behind her mate, panting slightly.

Some of his armor was dented, chipped in certain spots, but other than that he remained unscathed.

_Her attacks have left dents in the armor! In that case_… Sesshomaru flew at him, Tokijin clashing with his armor, before he drew back for the briefest moment and then crashed the fang into the crevices of the armor on his right shoulder; his ears perked as he saw the blade crack.

_Tokijin… the fang is breaking!_ Korihime thought in surprise as both she and her sister heard the cracking in the blade of the mighty sword.

"It won't work, Sesshomaru!" Moryomaru chuckled, perking his ears again. "I shall absorb your demonic energy." The beige appendages from his limb coiled around the _daiyokai_, reminiscent of a snake holding its prey.

"Sesshomaru!" Getsu shouted, gritting her teeth as she recalled that night they had critically injured Naraku at his castle. _He's going to try the same thing that Naraku did!_ She thought, her ears twitching as a soft breeze stole past them, carrying blood-soaked flower petals with it.

"This scent," he muttered.

_Kagura!_ She thought in surprise. _This is her blood… But why is she…?_ It clicked. _That bastard!_ She growled.

"So that useless woman died, did she?" Moryomaru hummed. "First she betrayed Naraku, then me, all for her freedom. And what does she do when she finally gets it? She dies in vain even of that!"

Getsu bared her teeth at his words.

Tensaiga pulsed at his hip as his eyes sharpened and his fangs grew.

"_Silence!_" He snarled; he broke free of the limbs, slamming Tokijin into the right shoulder of the demon's armor.  
The blade threatened to break completely from the force of his blow.

"Impossible!" He exclaimed.

"_Girls, __**NOW**__!_"

"**YOU GOT IT**!"

A wave of blue fire sailed at him as another pink-coated arrow sailed forward at the armor-encased demon.

"_Azure Dragon Wave!_" He slammed the blade down, snapping it at last, before spiriting out of the way of the oncoming combination of attacks.

"**YOU DAMN MONGRELS**!" Moryomaru cried as he took the attacks, his eyes wide in shock, before they narrowed and he was consumed in a purple twister of miasma. "This isn't finished!" His twister faded into the sky.

He glared after his retreat.

Both sisters panted slightly, their shoulders slumping in relief.

Korihime sniffed the air and her eyes sharpened. "Her scent," she began.

Sesshomaru looked at his mate as she sheathed her katana. "Come on." He took off into the sky.

Getsu smiled at her sister before leaping after him until they flew side-by-side and climbed higher into the blue heavens.

:::::::oOo:::::::::

The wind blew softly in the meadow covered with white flowers.

He glanced back at her to see she'd hung back several yards from where he'd stood. "Remember what I told you, that night." He mused quietly as she stepped forward to come to his side.

She nodded, looking at the stain her blood had left on the ground and smiled a little, tucking a few locks of hair behind her ear as the wind threatened to pull her hair loose and free. "I know." _Rest in peace… You can count on us to slay Naraku, to avenge you, Kagura_, she thought, looking past the flowers to the blue sky overhead.

Those Nagareboshi-kaen Taiho attacks had taken a lot out of her energy…

"Getsu," he barked before catching her from collapsing into the flowers, gathering her to his chest with his arm and kneeling to pick her up, looking at her concernedly. "Getsu." He spoke softer this time.

She closed her eyes tight and grimaced, her claws reaching to bundle in the white fabric of his _kosode_. "Sorry, guess that fight took a lot out of me," she mumbled, smiling weakly.

Sesshomaru exhaled quietly in relief that it was just that, smiling softly. "'Guess' is an understatement, princess. You danced beautifully." He praised gently.

Getsu nodded and held onto his neck with both arms as he shuffled to his feet and carried her in the crook of his arm. "Sesshomaru," she murmured.

"Rest. We'll take a break when we get back, alright? Just close your eyes." He instructed.

She nodded again and held onto his neck, resting her cheek against his heart as she started to let unconsciousness take her.

"Sesshomaru, wait!"

He halted in starting to leave at the sound of his little brother's voice, his likewise-gold eyes scowling at him over his shoulder.

"Kagura… Did she suffer?"

"…She was smiling."

Unconsciousness finally took her into a warm dreamless sleep.

* * *

A/N: **RIP Kagura**.


	33. Touch: Rise, Fall, Live

A/N: we said our goodbyes to Kagura in the previous chap so this chap is a sort of aftermath/ action scene-filled chap. enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 33: Touch - Rise, Fall, Live**_

Something warm and breathing was pressed against her back like a hard wall.

Her eyes opened stiffly before she recognized the dying embers of a small campfire.

She lifted her head slightly, looking around her: her sister was sleeping huddled by the side of the slumbering two-headed dragon, the girl child they had practically raised for four years gathered in her lap and held protectively to her chest; the imp was snoring by the left hind leg of the dragon, a nose-bubble swelling with each breath. She smiled slightly at the sight, hearing the wall she was pressed against continue to breathe evenly; she blinked and then looked up at the said wall, blushing a little.

The male _daiyokai_ had dozed off with his arm wrapped possessively around her, spooning her while she was in his arms since before.  
_  
Before…?_

"Kagura," she whispered, feeling him stir.

He squeezed her ribs he had his arm around and his gold eyes opened partly at hearing her voice. "You're awake." He mused quietly.

She blushed again at noting that his voice sounded especially alluring when he'd awoken from sleep, slightly raspy and deep, almost husky, glancing at him. "Sesshomaru, where's…?" She began.

His eyes closed again and he buried his nose into the spot behind her ear. "She's gone. Get some rest, you need it to recuperate from earlier today." He reminded softly.

She trembled a little at his soft touch, looking at the dying embers again. "I'm fine now," she protested in the same tone.

It had been a while since he'd held her like this.

"Then let me rest." He grumbled, planting a kiss on her neck.

"Sesshomaru…" She blushed.

His arm squeezed again. "It's been too long that I've held you like this." He murmured.

She quieted at his musing and then she calmed, smiling a little at the memory. "I guess it has."

He chuckled softly, nuzzling her neck. "'You guess' nothing. I'd almost forgotten how it felt to be sleeping with a beautiful bull-headed princess like you." He grumbled again.

"You almost had me," she mumbled, blushing.

His arm squeezed gently as he kissed along the side of her neck, feeling her arch her back and then lean into his body, a soft growl in his throat. "I believe I **do** still have you." He remarked, the growl in his voice making her shiver, before he continued his onslaught of her bared neck.

She stifled a mewl at his kisses that had bite on one or two instances, blushing more. "S-Sesshomaru," she squeaked, distinctly feeling something on his lower person poking at her lower back each time she squirmed from his kissing.

Sesshomaru growled again and sank his teeth gently into her throat, marking her. "Hnn?"

Getsu all but trembled, her inner demon growling in defiance at practically melting underneath his kisses and bites, her silver eyes glinting yellow. "S-since when are you this attentive?" She wondered softly, panting a little from moving so much.

He licked the new mark, nosing said spot tenderly. "Am I wrong to hold the woman I love so closely and be doing these things to her?" He challenged in the same tone, feeling confident now that he had her practically melting and wrapped around his finger (as he was wont to have her whenever he would assail her with kisses and bites).

Her inner demon purred at his teasing undertone. "W-well, no," she mumbled.

"Precisely." Sesshomaru groaned softly into her neck, returning to his previous onslaught as he heard her mewl again and tremble.

Getsu blushed more when she felt him grind against her backside, his right leg entangling with hers as he held her close. _Easy boy_, she thought, blushing a deeper shade of red as she distinctly felt him throb against her backside, hearing a deep growl rumble in his chest facing her back that sounded dominant and even lustful.  
_  
Oh for the love of the moon…!_

* * *

The salty scent of the ocean stung her nose.

She looked up at the blue sky, another soft breeze that made the waves churn below their cliffside tugging at her ebony hair, sending locks to fly in the breeze before they dropped lightly down onto her shoulder.

'_How pathetic, I had hoped you would be more of a challenge than your mongrel sister!_'

Her lip curled in disgust and she dropped her gaze to her left hand's palm; she looked at her claws and frowned a little. _The next time I see you, Moryomaru, I will be stronger… strong enough to kill you and the heart you so valiantly protect_, she inwardly vowed as she closed her hand in a tight fist, her silver eyes tight, before they traveled to the silent form of her mate sitting on a rock overlooking the ocean.

She smiled a little, wordlessly shuffling to place her hand on his left shoulder. "You okay?" She wondered quietly, meeting his gold eyes that lifted when she touched him.

His eyes softened at the concern in her stare and he looked out at the ocean again, lifting his hand to clasp over hers and squeeze slightly. "Are **you**?" He returned.

She rolled her eyes and smirked gently, ducking a little to fold her arms around his shoulders and rest her cheek against his. "That's a piss-poor way of dodging my question." She scolded.

He smirked back and ran his claws through her hair. "Agree to disagree." He mused.

She shook her head a little and kissed his neck before retracting her arms to sit down next to him. "Sure, if you say so." She mused with heavy sarcasm, rolling her eyes again.

He rolled his eyes in response and chuckled.

Companionable silence fell between them as the wind blew the salty scent of the ocean blow at their keen noses and played with their hair.  
_  
'Are you leaving?'  
Her red eyes seemed happy and content, almost peaceful, to see him one last time. 'Yes…I've had enough...'_

"Sesshomaru," he stirred from his thoughts, seeing her silver orbs held concern again; his shoulders slumped and he smiled a little. "I'm alright."

She returned the smile, nodding, kissing him softly and holding his cheek. "Liar." She purred.

He made a face when she pulled back, seeing her chuckle. "How am I…?" He began to ask before their ears twitched, his arm finding her waist and pulling her closer out of protection.

Thunder growled behind them before they both looked to see a bolt of lightning shoot down at the ground yards away.  
Both _daiyokai_ blinked.

The dust that had flown up when the bolt hit cleared until they saw Totosai the welder there riding his three-eyed steer Momo.

"Oh, you again, Master Totosai; been awhile." The blue-haired female mused as her sister and brother-in-law straightened.

He looked at the gray hilt of Tensaiga. "Oh, so that's why I'm here." He said thoughtfully.

"What're you doing here?" Sesshomaru demanded irritably, gold eyes narrowing when the welder looked at him instead of his heirloom fang.

"I had a feeling something was missing: Tokijin is gone, isn't it?" Totosai guessed.

He snorted and cracked his knuckles. "Even without the Tokijin, my claws would be sufficient enough to tear you apart."  
His sister-in-law deadpanned.

She rolled her eyes and whacked the back of his head reproachfully as she walked from behind him. "Give it a rest. Totosai, thanks for coming. Please forgive him; he hasn't been in the best of moods lately." She ignored the gold-eyed scowl directed at her back as she flashed a bright smile at the old welder, bowing slightly out of respect.

He nodded and seemed elated that the death threat had been avoided by her kindness. "Either way, I had no choice but to come here: Tensaiga summoned me."

All three _yokai_ blinked.

"'Tensaiga summoned you'?" The youngest of the trio repeated quietly, tilting her head to one side.

He looked to the male _daiyokai_ again. "Don't play dumb with me; I refuse to believe that you haven't noticed Tensaiga has been disturbed these last few days." His gold eyes glanced at the hilt briefly. "Interesting… it appears you now possess what you've been lacking all this time."

"What d'you mean!? Lord Sesshomaru's heart is flawless!" The imp piped up shrilly behind them.

She lightly whacked him with her long bow, sighing. "He's referring to compassion, frog breath." Her blue eyes looked at the welder. "Right?" Her brother-in-law scowled over at her, being met with an innocent smile.

He nodded again. "Correct; Tensaiga has reacted to the change in your heart. A heart that has not only felt rage and sorrow for yourself, but for someone else."

His thoughts briefly drifted to the late wind _yokai_ before his gold eyes settled on the blank face of his mate, his companion and lover that he had declared not only his love for but his desire to be with her and her alone.

"Now you must hand over Tensaiga." The welder declared, stirring him from his thoughts.

His gold eyes sharpened. "What?"

"The time has come to reforge Tensaiga to be used as a weapon." Totosai declared gravely.

Getsu's ears perked as Sesshomaru raised a brow. "To reforge Tensaiga as a weapon?"

:::::::dOb:::::::

The trio of demons roared their final roars before falling to the power of the reforged fang of Heaven.  
Her blue eyes lingered on the pathway to the underworld the rip in the atmosphere had shown before it closed up as swiftly as it had come.

"That was amazing, Lord Sesshomaru!" The girl praised lightly as her likewise-short companion also praised their leader in a more emotional manner.

"It seems I still have a lot to learn," the male _daiyokai_ mused as he sheathed the katana.

The female _daiyokai_ clapped a hand on his shoulder, smiling when he looked at her. "You'll get there; your father trusted you would be a powerful _daiyokai_ one day, so you'll be able to master the _Meido Zangetsuha_. I know you will." She declared quietly, her silver eyes kind.

His inner demon purred at seeing her kindness, a trait in females he often found weakened them greatly and made them inferior to him, were it not evident in his beloved's character; he smiled a little and nodded, taking her hand and gently squeezing it in his grip. "Your faith ceases to amaze me." He exhaled.

She chuckled and smiled again, winking. "Get used to it, _baka-inu_." She giggled when he pouted.

Her sister smiled at the sight of the two happy _daiyokai_, perking her ears as she sniffed the air; she bristled a little.  
_Koga, I can smell his scent; he isn't far off from here_… "I'll be back." She declared as she nuzzled the girl's cheek affectionately before hopping off the dragon to start walking, shrugging her bow onto her shoulder.

"Kori-onee," the girl began in confusion, seeing her pause; she looked back at her concerned brown orbs and her blue eyes softened.

"I'm coming back, Rin; promise." She assured with a gentle smile and wink.

"Don't let yourself get killed while protecting that idiot." He warned calmly, perking her ears.

She looked over at him in brief surprise before she nodded and smirked. "You got it; look after my sister in the meantime. Won't be long." She replied, seeing her sister nod and smile before she turned to take off into the darkness at a run, soon spiriting away towards the source of his scent.

* * *

'These claws have feasted on gallons of wolf demon blood, and now they'll feast on your blood too!' The maroon beast snarled.

A white hot pain blossomed in the top of its head; the two wolf demons perked up alertly.

"Not on my watch… You're nothing more than a pathetic whining dog." The blade twisted in its skull sharply, forcing the canine-beast to become instantly frozen in a thick coating of pink ice.

She yanked the blade out swiftly, huffing and lifting her blue long bow from her shoulder. "I've seen teething puppies ten times worse than this thing." She crashed the bottom end of her bow into the gash.

The frozen beast shattered into millions of pieces; she landed nimbly on her feet infront of the wolves plus strange effeminate-looking man, a hand on her left hip; her blue eyes rounded on the likewise-blue stare of the taller of the two wolf demons and she winked. "Yo."

"Korihime," he mused in slight relief.

"Hm, interesting. Judging by your appearance, I would imagine you're a wolf demon as well, though from where I haven't much of a clue. Your power is remarkable, even for a female." The effeminate demon mused thoughtfully, making both wolf demons look at him.

She bristled slightly and glared into his blue eyes. "Thanks for such a compliment. Judging by your stink, I would imagine you're another incarnation of Naraku. You've got a lot of nerve to be showing your disreputable face in the presence of the Princess of the Western Wolf Clan." She returned icily.

He chuckled and flashed a light smile. "Your nose is very sharp, princess. Now I recognize you; you and your big sister have been giving Naraku hell lately, you two and that pompous mongrel you travel with." He remarked.

She swung at him with her claws, making him leap into the air and land atop a large white origami crane. "It's good to know that we've scared him that much. Whatever you've done to this pup's pack, undo it now, girly-man, and I won't freeze your ass on the spot for insulting my brother-in-law." She threatened.

"Temper, temper, my lovely princess, you see the pup you're defending, well his little brother has been… how should I put this? Compromised." He tapped his lips with two fingers.

"Where is he? Tell us or I swear I'll kill you!" The male demon snarled.

An amber-glowing giant moth lifted into the air yards away, flying high into the dying twilight.  
"Shit." She growled, perking up as the pup ran past them after the moth. "Shinta!" He cried.  
_  
Damn it, Getsu's going to kill me for being late_, she thought, sprinting after the child. "Hey, wait!"

"I'd hurry and catch up were I you; the demonic aura coming from the moth will attract other demons, and I wouldn't want that pup to die if I were you." The man declared to the wolf demon.

He glared at him before sprinting after the two wolves, taking off in his twister before meeting the she-wolf's pace; he grabbed her waist, making her yelp, before he held her to his chest.

"K-Koga!" She barked, blushing slightly at being so close to him, clinging to his neck.

"Hang on, Kori!" He declared, squeezing her waist as he picked up the pace; she nodded, vainly hoping her sister wasn't going to be _too_ hard on her for not arriving on time.

::::::lOl:::::::

"Koga, and here I thought I'd have to come looking for you." The hodgepodge creature declared calmly; his blue eyes briefly roamed to the she-wolf held to the clan head's chest by his muscled arm that was wound around her waist. "Princess Korihime, it's been a while. I thought you had gone into hiding from when your weak arrow didn't work before."

She bristled and glared at him, shrugging the wolf demon's arm off. "Moryomaru, I see you're as weak as you were last time. I haven't forgotten what you did to his Tokijin." She growled, cracking her knuckles.  
_  
Tokijin…? Wait that's Sesshomaru's sword… Did Moryomaru break Tokijin with his armor?_ The male demon wondered in surprise, growling. "I see you've changed since last time." He mused.

"H-help me, Kai!" The younger of the two pups barked from trying to not get consumed by the beige limbs of the incarnation.

"Hang on, Shinta, I'm coming!" He barked, perking up as the female demon gently pushed him behind her. "H-hey, lady!"

"You're not goin' in there, you're not strong enough." Koga reproached calmly.

Korihime nodded, glaring at the armor-encased demon. "He's right, besides, this guy is deserving of my ice." She added darkly, a growl in her throat.

"Well I didn't think you'd be this stubborn, princess; yer almost sounding like your sister." He smirked.

She huffed and elbowed his ribs, smirking back. "Get real and keep your fangs in your mouth, wolf boy."

"So you're going to help us?" The pup named Kai asked of the two older wolves.

Koga huffed. "'Course; I've been dying to use the Goraishi on this bastard, anyway." He lifted his right hand up, an amber glow covering his hand until five silver claws connected by chains melded to a metal bracelet on his wrist appeared.  
_  
The Goraishi..? Father mentioned it once, but the Goraishi were hidden deep in the Eastern Tribe's territory, supposedly being bestowed by their ancestors on a wolf demon the ancestors deemed worthy of the claws! Did Koga obtain the Goraishi because he wanted to avenge his pack?_ Korihime wondered, her aura spiking as an ice dagger formed in both of her hands as Moryomaru vowed to consume Koga and his shards; she growled and glowered at him, gripping the handles of her daggers. "You're going to have to go through me to even think you can consume him, you sick shithead." She snarled softly, her tone glacier-cold.

He sneered. "That can be arranged." The same red-lined white orbs began charging up around him, formed in a trio. "Let's see how you fare against _Raimeho!_" He fired the orbs.

"_Goraishi!_" He pulled the female behind him, surprising her, as he sent a large spark of electricity at the orbs.

The two attacks collided until exploding and allowing a small cloud of dust to form.  
_So that's what the Goraishi does_, she mused.

"You okay, Kori?" He wondered, perking her ears.

She nodded and smiled a little. "Thanks."

"You seem a little more sluggish than before, Koga; you barely had time to protect that weak female behind you before rendering my Raimeho useless." Moryomaru sneered.

Korihime leaped at him, narrowly dodging a swipe from his right arm, before she slammed the blades of her daggers into his shoulders. "Who told you that I was weak?" She twisted the blades, starting to slowly freeze him, before he smacked her in the ribs with his arm, sending her flying and shattering the daggers at the handle.

Koga caught her, looking down at her as she growled and glared past him at the hulking demon. "Kori," he began.

She looked up at him and smirked dryly, straightening and rubbing her side gingerly. "It's just a scratch."

"Let's put that to the test, shall we?" Several beige limbs sailed at them; he scooped her up and leaped away as the pup followed, yelping as the limbs caught his right ankle and wrapped around the pup's waist, making him let her go.

She grimaced and looked at the sight of the two wolves caught. "Koga!" She barked, hearing the hodgepodge demon cackle.

"Now what will you do, Korihime? Your precious arrows and daggers don't work, and your beloved will be consumed along with his jewel shards… You're weak." Moryomaru sneered.

Korihime growled as her aura spiked and then flared until a pink glow framed her body as she clenched her fists; she bared her teeth. "You've said enough."  
Her right foot crashed into his forehead, surprising him; he swung his right arm at her, forcing her to disconnect her foot from his face as she leaped back and landed nimbly.

More of the same limbs sailed at her when she landed; she snarled and swiped at them with her claws that had grown, sprinting at him and dodging the Raimeho orbs he sent flying, landing on his extended arm he used to block her oncoming lunge and grunting as she slammed a fist coated in her pink aura directly into his right lung.

Blood flew from his mouth before he grappled to strike her with his right arm again.

She yanked her hand back and leaped away, skidding into the ground and panting slightly as her aura continued to flare wildly around her.  
_Dad, I know you'd be proud of seeing me do that_, she mused, cracking her knuckles; her eyes widened slightly as she caught the scent of an oncoming demonic wind.

_That scent...!_

"**Wind Scar**!" A torrent of yellow demon wind screamed at the limbs holding the wolves, severing the link as the demon slayer scooped up the hostage child away from the wounded demon.

"InuYasha!" Korihime declared in surprise.

Koga huffed, "what're you doing here, pup?" He growled.

"Moryomaru, you swallowed something you shouldn't have, didn't you?" InuYasha demanded of the hodgepodge.

"And what of it? My armor is impenetrable; not even an army of a hundred soldiers could pierce it." Moryomaru gloated.

"Is that a fact? Then this should work well: **Adamant Barrage**!" Hundreds of adamant shards screamed at the demon, ramming into his right shoulder.

"'Adamant Barrage'? That should make a wonderful addition to my arsenal." His right arm was soon coated in crystalline adamant.

"_Baka-inu_, just make him stronger why don't you?" She snapped at the _hanyou_, glaring at their enemy.

"Don't start with me Korihime!" He barked.

Moryomaru's right arm covered in adamant sailed at the wolf demon, capturing him in his grasp.  
"**KOGA**!" Korihime shouted, snarling and sprinting forward at Moryomaru.

"Korihime, don't!" Koga snarled at her, perking up as he smacked her hard and sent her flying with a yelp. "**KORI**!"

InuYasha bristled angrily. "You bastard, you took something that belongs to me, and now ya've really pissed me off by hitting my friend!" He snarled, the Tetsusaiga pulsing in his grip before dragon scales coated the top half of the mighty fang, before he lunged; the blade heated up and glowed a bright dark violet color before the blast sent him back.

"InuYasha," Kagome hurried to his side as he got up shakily.

"I'm okay, Kagome," he assured, looking past her at the wolf princess that was growling and glowering daggers at his enemy, being held back by the monk and demon slayer. _Korihime_, he thought.

"Impossible? How dare you steal some of my demonic power?" The hodgepodge snapped, perking his ears.  
_  
Tetsusaiga stole his demonic power?_ She wondered in surprise, gritting her teeth before shrugging past the two humans, walking forward and shrugging her bow down, loading an arrow. "InuYasha, if I fire an arrow at his shoulder, hit it with Tetsusaiga. Kagome, you can sense it's in his right shoulder, right?" She wondered, glancing at the girl that aimed an arrow at the demon.

"Yeah, I can see it." She nodded.

"Then shoot; my arrow will follow yours. That's your cue, InuYasha; get the shard and rip his arm off." She ordered, aiming as well.

Kagome and InuYasha looked at the confident manner the she-wolf harbored before nodding; she fired her sacred arrow at the shoulder, hitting the spot where the shard was.  
_  
Hit the mark!_ She fired her own arrow, sending it flying at the same spot and marking it. "**Now**!"

InuYasha snarled as he slammed Tetsusaiga down, the same violet light flaring wildly as the fang sank into the place marked by the two arrows.

"**WHAT**!?" Moryomaru gasped in horror.

"_Goraishi!_" Koga electrocuted the arm he was wrapped in, shattering it as he leaped back to land near the _hanyou_.

"You gonna be alright, scrawny wolf?" InuYasha wondered gruffly.

He huffed. "Just shut up, idiot mutt." He growled.

Both half-breed and clan head sailed at the demon, sending a few torrents of energy from the Goraishi and Dragon-Scale Tetsusaiga at him.

"Moryomaru!" Korihime aimed another arrow at him, except this one was coated in pink ice; her blue eyes were dangerous, reminiscent of her sister's silver orbs. "Go fuck yourself." She fired.

The ice threatened to freeze and consume his right arm, surprising the demon.

The _hanyou_ roared as he swung down Tetsusaiga again, the same demonic power flowing into his blade burning his hands before he fell back from the swell, Tetsusaiga sent flying, and leaving the hodgepodge to escape into the night.

"Damn it! I almost had him." Koga growled, the claws fading as the girl went to inspect her companion, looking over at the princess as she slung her bow over her shoulder and scowled at where Moryomaru had been seconds ago. "Korihime, are you alright?" He asked, coming to her side.

Korihime nodded, smiling up at him. "Yeah. I'm glad you're safe." She replied, inwardly surprised at her own words.  
_Did she really like him?_

The sudden swell of her demonic power from before seemed to finally take its toll on her; she grimaced and doubled over, hugging her ribs.

"Kori," he caught her as she almost fell face-forward into the ground, gathering her to his chest and looking at her alertly. "Hey, Korihime, Kori!" He sounded worried.

She opened a blue eye up at him and smirked slightly. "I'm not dead; I can hear you perfectly… Idiot wolf." She grumbled.

"Koga, is she okay?" The priestess asked, perking his ears as he lifted her up and held her in his arms bridal-style.

"Yeah, she's just tired. I'm gonna take her back." He nodded, smirking slightly at her and then huffing as his blue eyes fell on the _hanyou_. "Thanks fer nothin', half-breed mutt." He added, turning to take off in his twister towards the direction her sister's scent led.

* * *

A/N: does Korihime really like Koga? and if so, will she make the choice she's been avoiding: will she choose Koga, or will she choose her sister? who will she travel with, who will be her pack? who will she fight for? until next chap, see ya!


	34. Pride&Starlight beneath the Half Moon

A/N: where we last left off, Korihime had gone off to check on Koga because she smelled trouble, and she walked right into it, figuratively-speaking. after using up a good chunk of her demonic power, Koga decided to take her away to heal. but where did he take her? the answer is in this chap so enjoy! ^^

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 34: Pride&Starlight beneath the Half Moon**_

The scent of wolf stirred her.

Her eyes opened sharply; she looked up from sleeping with her mate, silver eyes scanning the small wood they'd taken shelter in to await her sister's return.

"What is it?" He stirred, opening a gold eye to see she was prone and alert at his side, his arm squeezing on her waist.

The wind stirred wildly around their campsite, dowsing the flames and waking the girl, dragon and imp, before a twister came into view and then came to a halt short of a few yards away from where the two _daiyokai_ were.

Koga appeared out of the twister, carrying a sleeping Korihime in his arms.

"Koga." He greeted as his mate scrambled to her feet to help the male wolf set her sister down before her.

He looked at the worry in her silver eyes and pretty face, crouching across from her. "Getsu, you can heal her right?" He saw surprise register in her stare that lifted to meet his, the worry in his voice sounding alien to her ears. "Please, heal her." He requested, his voice quieted.

She nodded, her eyes softening at his worry, before she looked down at her unconscious sister as her brow furrowed at the sight of the scratches and bruises on her pale skin, the rips in her kimono.

"Kori-onee!" The child began to run forward to her babysitter's side before the male _daiyokai_ gently picked her up by the scruff and stopped her from getting closer. "L-Lord Sesshomaru!" She stammered.

"Korihime isn't feeling well, so Getsu is healing her. Stay here, Rin." He chided quietly, setting her down by the dragon and imp, seeing the surprise and confusion register in her young face; he ran his claws through her brown locks before pulling away to go back to his mate's side as she had already begun to heal her sister.

"Yes, milord," she mumbled, continuing to watch the scene with worried and confused brown orbs.

"So I would imagine Moryomaru did this to her." Sesshomaru mused, his gold eyes meeting the concerned blue stare of his fellow male demon.

Koga nodded slightly, bristling at the mention of that hodgepodge bastard. "Kori used up a lot of her demonic power in trying to save me from getting consumed by that cheap fuck." He growled quietly, keeping his eyes on the soft lilac color illuminating the older female's palms.

"I can smell his stink on some of her bruises. He got away again, didn't he?" Getsu wondered grimly, her brow tightening.

"Yeah, but he didn't get away without getting a few hits from my Goraishi; that mutt brother of yours helped too, along with Kori's ice." He smirked slightly at the bittersweet victory.

He stiffened and then growled under his breath. "That foolish _hanyou_ is no brother of mine." He grated between his fangs.

Her ears twitched and she glanced up at the vigilant male. "'Goraishi'…? So, the old story was true. Father told me about the claws of the Eastern Wolf Tribe, long ago." She mused with a slight smile.

"'Goraishi'?" He cocked a brow.

"The Goraishi are a set of claws that the ancestors of the Eastern Wolf Tribe supposedly give to a wolf demon worthy enough to possess such a relic. My father told me that the ancestors of both the Western and Eastern Clans were rumored to harness lightning and control it in their claws, therein creating the Goraishi when the last of their ancestors passed to the netherworld. Unfortunately, the power of harnessing electricity skipped my father and instead he was given the ability to harness blue fire as my great-grandfather did, the rarest kind of fire known to the world, human and demon alike." She explained, seeing her sister's brow twitch softly and minutely while she talked.

He nodded, looking at his fellow male demon. "Tell me, will you go back to your packmates after she's healed? I would imagine they're worried for you." He asked.

He hesitated to answer, looking down at the peaceful face of the female he had bonded with. "I'm not sure." He mumbled.

"Korihime isn't bound to me by blood or debt. She is my sister-in-law, but she has the freedom to choose who she wishes to be with. I can't tell her what to do, and neither can Getsu." Sesshomaru stated.

Getsu looked up at him before she looked down at her sister and nodded. "Sesshomaru's right. We're sisters, yes, but I can't speak as a substitute mother. Kori can choose for herself who she wants to live with, whether with us or with you, Koga." The male wolf stiffened at her words.

Koga snorted, blushing a light shade of pink. "W-what the hell gave you that idea…?" He growled.

She chuckled and smiled softly. "Don't act so modest, I know you bonded. You two bonded long ago, back when you first met. To be honest, I think it's cute. If Sesshomaru and I hadn't bonded before meeting you, it'd probably have been me in Kori's place." She smiled again when the aforementioned male growled under his breath at the ludicrous notion.

He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't flatter yourself, pedigree. I came for Kori, not to get teased. Besides, you're not really my type. This overgrown mutt's stink was all over you when we met the first time." He grumbled with a sniff, oblivious to the dark aura that was overcoming said 'overgrown mutt', and the vein that twitched on said _daiyokai_'s brow.

**_THWACK_**.

"As you said, you came for my _sister-in-law_, but if you insist on insulting me further you're going to be on a one-way trip to the underworld, **mongrel**." Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles after braining the confident male, gold eyes closed angrily.

Koga winced slightly from the bump that swelled on his head, grimacing as the older female giggled. "P-piss off, Getsu! Geez, that hurt! Your punch was as hard as hers." He grated, glaring from the she-wolf to the pissy _Inu-Daiyokai_.

Getsu smiled cheekily. "We've been traveling too long together; I mighta rubbed off on him." She shrugged.

He snorted. "I doubt that's the _only thing_ ya've **_rubbed off_** on him..." He grumbled.

**_THWACK_**.

"**OW, FUCK**!"

"…That is none of your _fucking_ business so keep your nose out of it, mongrel." He growled, cracking his knuckles again.

"Koga," her quiet voice halted any further barking between the two male canine _yokai_, perking her ears as well.

"Kori-chan!" She beamed, dropping her hands to see her sister's blue orbs looking up at her and then roving over to the male wolf demon.

She smiled and then chuckled quietly. "You look like crap." She mused.

His blue eyes looked relieved; he huffed and smirked softly, glad to see her awake. "Shut up, will ya?"

"Kori-onee?" The girl had appeared, hovering near the male _daiyokai_, her brown eyes peering past him at the now-conscious female.  
She looked over at her and smiled warmly. "Hey, Rin. You should be sleeping, love. It's past your bedtime." She greeted in a soft tone.

Her brown eyes soon held tears standing in her concerned gaze and she sniffed. "K-Kori-onee, I thought you were dead!" She declared.

The older female tousled her hair gently, brushing tears from her cheeks. "It's okay, Rin." She urged softly, pulling away from her sister's side and scooping her up, carrying her away. "C'mon, let's get you back to bed. Sesshomaru," she beckoned as she felt that the two wolves needed a moment alone, looking at her mate.

He nodded, sparing his sister-in-law a softened smile, before following her lead.

The male wolf perked up as she sat up a little, hesitant to grab her. "You shouldn't move, Kori," he scolded.

She huffed quietly and smiled at him, brushing strands of blue from her cheek. "I'm fine now, just a little tired. You probably think I look horrible, after what happened earlier…" She trailed off when she felt his calloused right hand stroke her cheek, perking her ears; she looked up past her lashes at his blue eyes to see there was something like worry and happiness mixed in his sky-colored stare. "Koga," she began.

He smirked gently, running his thumb over the star on her cheekbone. "Like hell you look like that; not to me, anyway. You still look beautiful, Kor." He chuckled when she blushed a shade of reddish pink.

She huffed again and cut her gaze to the side. "Shouldn't you be getting back to Ginta and Hakkaku? They're worrying for you, y'know. You're their alpha." She reminded quietly, mentally kicking herself for wanting to shoo him away… She didn't want him to leave her, not when he was now considered a target. She wanted to protect his pride and his life.

That's what she wanted most.

"That's what I wanted to ask you… I mean, Getsu and Sesshomaru already said you could go where you want. You could choose what pack you wanted to be with." He mumbled, perking her ears.

She looked over at where the two _daiyokai_ were, at the happy look on her sister's face as she leaned onto his chest and had a protective arm wrapped around a sleeping Rin in her lap. He smiled down at the two females, brushing some ebony hair from her cheek gently.

"Kor, if you want to stay, I'm alright with that. I would imagine we'd meet again sometime soon, maybe sooner than expected… I just… After seeing you fight Moryomaru just to keep me alive back there, I don't want you to get killed protecting me. I don't wanna watch you die, Korihime." Koga declared quietly, stirring her attention away.

Korihime looked at him and her eyes saddened before she looked down, her blue hair cascading down her shoulder. "I don't want you to die, either, Koga. I know that we must've bonded, because I never would've thought I'd be telling this to a male, least of all a wolf demon like me. I want to go with you, if not to protect you then to help you restore your tribe. It's the least I could do." She shrugged, smiling weakly.

He smiled a little and nodded. "Must've, only because I didn't ever figure I'd be sayin' that to a female demon. I mean sure, to Kagome, but she's already with that mutt…" She laughed quietly and smiled again. "Even though I don't want you to die, I still want you to come with me. I want you at my side, Kor." He replied.

She nodded and smiled softly, leaning in to kiss him softly, feeling him stiffen before he kissed back, pulling her to his chest as she hugged his shoulders.

:::::::kKk:::::::

Rin sniffed.

"Don't make that face, Rin," Korihime crooned, pulling her into another hug.

Koga watched the sight and exhaled, looking at both _daiyokai_. "Thanks again for healing her." He looked at the she-wolf.

Getsu shrugged, smiling at him. "She's my little sister; it was the least I could do. I'm glad she chose a path, too. I've led her so far, after our clan was slaughtered long ago, so the fact that she's chosen to be free of it all makes me happy. Our parents would be glad, too, to see her come so far." She replied.

Sesshomaru looked at the girl that was looking into her babysitter's soft blue eyes as she was talking gently to her, her brown orbs holding tears as the rims of her eyes looked puffy from crying. "Even though she isn't my sister by blood, it's as if she is. So if you let anything happen to her, I'll kill you for it: remember that, mongrel… _Koga_." His gold eyes looked serious and even a little dangerous as he locked stare with his fellow male.

He huffed and smirked at him, nodding. "I'll keep that in mind then, mutt… _Sesshomaru_." He returned.

She sweatdropped when he bristled slightly at the insult before hooking her arm through his elbow, smiling. "Boys," she warned lightly.

A light sigh sounded before her sister punched the male wolf in the shoulder affectionately, making him wince.  
"Ow," he griped, seeing her laugh and she smiled up at him; he smirked gently and slung his arm around her shoulders.

Korihime looked at her sister and brother-in-law, her eyes soft and sad at the same time. "Onee-chan, thanks for letting me travel with you for so long. I know our parents would be happy that we've stuck together so long… I wish I wasn't leaving you, and Rin, like this… Rin especially." She smiled weakly.

Getsu smiled softly and threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly as she hugged back just as tight and closed her eyes tight. "Mama would be proud that you've gotten so strong, Kori, and Papa would be happy just to see you happy with Koga… I know we'll see each other again, someday, so long as we continue to run under the same moon. Besides, you have to do what you have to do, and I have to do what I have to do. It's not like we're fighting against each other, we're fighting for the same thing, right?" She nuzzled her cheek like their mother used to, pulling back a little to smile at her puffy blue eyes.

She sniffed and nodded, laughing weakly. "Right! O-onee-chan, please do one thing for me: keep Rin safe. She's not my pup, but she damn well is close enough. Promise me you'll keep her safe, please, Getsu-onee." She pleaded.

She nodded back, ruffling her hair. "I will. We **both** will, no matter what." She amended.

The sisters pulled away reluctantly with watery smiles before the younger one turned to her silver-haired companion next.

She slugged his shoulder gently, smiling up at his gold eyes. "Please look after my sister; gods know she needs you, just like Rin needs you. Look after both of my sisters, _nii-san_. I'd hafta kill you otherwise." She half-joked.

He smirked gently and tousled her blue hair affectionately, nodding. "I will. Koga, take care of my little sister." He added to the male wolf, tracing a claw over the silver star on her cheek before letting his hand drop.

He huffed and smirked, nodding as he hooked his arm around her elbow. "You got it. C'mon, let's go." He smiled at the younger she-wolf, leading her away.

"Kori-onee," the girl trotted to stand at the male _daiyokai_'s side as the two wolf demons took off in another twister into the clear-skied afternoon.

The female _daiyokai_ exhaled and crouched to give her a piggy-back ride, straightening. "C'mon, we'd better get moving too." She declared, looking at her mate.

Sesshomaru stared after where his sister-in-law —_no, his__** little sister**_— had stood moments ago; he smiled slightly and nodded, turning to follow until he was at her side.

Getsu smiled up at the blue sky, a soft breeze tugging at her hair. _Watch over her, Papa; please keep her alive so that one day we'll see each other again_, she inwardly prayed to the heavens.

* * *

The effeminate man seemed to scowl. "You could at least introduce yourself before killing me." He chided.

A blast of blue fire narrowly missed the left side of his head as he moved to the side with ease, his cobalt eyes roaming lazily to the owner of the blast.

"Well aren't _you_ light on your toes," she cracked her knuckles and smirked.

He lifted a thin brow at her stony silver eyed stare. _Her eyes looked just like that female, Korihime_, he thought.

"I can smell Naraku's stink on you, that's all the reason I need." The silver-haired male rebutted frigidly.

He smirked and crossed his arms in the sleeves of his pale blue _kosode_. "You must be Lord Sesshomaru."

"Tell me what Moryomaru is doing here," he demanded.

He sighed, "Alas, I am but a distant spectator."

Both _daiyokai_ looked over at the flame-coated hodgepodge beast that crashed into the ground, a look of shock written across his pale face.  
_Well damn, those two twins stole my kill_, she mused, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono.

"Stay here," he ordered in her ear, kissing her lightly before spiriting towards the hulking _yokai_.

She scowled after him and exhaled, instead glaring at the object of his attention.

"So he was waiting for Ginka and Kinka to try and kill each other and then he absorbed the power residing in the two of them; Naraku might get more than he bargained for with this one." The incarnation noted aloud, perking her ears.

"So, twinkle-toes, do you have a name?" The female _daiyokai_ wondered, stirring his attention.

He smiled lightly and did a mock bow. "Where are my manners? Forgive me, milady. I am Byakuya, Byakuya of the Dreams. And judging by your lovely countenance, I would imagine you're the infamous Getsuei of the Western Wolf Clan; Naraku has mentioned your meddlesome antics, though he failed to mention you were so lovely." He said the last sentence with a teasing look in his eyes.

She bristled and snorted out of habit, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm honored to hear that I've caused him fear, though your flatteries are uncalled for and frankly, I'm taken."

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_" His voice jerked her attention away; she looked over at him to see he'd opened a crescent void that swallowed up the combined fire-and-lightning attack sent by Moryomaru and sent it into the netherworld.

Moryomaru took to the skies, flapping his wings.

"He's fleeing?" Sesshomaru growled in further annoyance.

"Bastard!" Getsu flew at him, katana flying from her scabbard. "Get back here!" She skidded to a halt just short of the barrage of paper origami cranes that formed around her companion. "Sesshomaru!"

"It's nothing personal, y'see; Naraku ordered me to let him escape." Byakuya mused.

Sesshomaru growled, "Getsu, get down." He swung at the cranes, creating another void that sucked them into the depths of the netherworld beyond the tear in the atmosphere as she dropped to the ground and landed nimbly.

Byakuya climbed higher into the air, "farewell, Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Getsuei." He soon disappeared from sight.

He glowered after his retreat, gold eyes burning.

"Sesshomaru," she approached him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He growled at her, making her wince a little, before he met her concerned silver stare; their stares held each other for a good few moments before his bristling form calmed and she stroked his cheek. "Sorry." He mumbled, looking down.

She smiled slightly and shook her head, leaning in to bump foreheads. "It's okay, you didn't hurt me. I'm still here," she reassured gently, feeling his arm slide to her small waist and pull her to his chest.

Sesshomaru nodded, kissing her forehead softly. "I'm glad."

Getsu smiled again and hooked her arms behind his neck, kissing his nose and seeing him wrinkle it, making her giggle softly and reluctantly slip free of his arm to let him sheathe Tensaiga.

He looked at her as she looked over her shoulder at the gray sky beyond the cliff, seeming to be thinking of her sister. "If anything happened to her, we'd know it." He mused, perking her ears.

She looked at him and her eyes saddened slightly before softening; she nodded, brushing locks of hair from her face. "Yeah, you're right." She replied.

He took her hand and squeezed gently. "Let's go."

* * *

A/N: and so Korihime makes her choice at last. but is this the last we've seen of the blue-haired princess of the western wolf clan? you'll have to find that out in the next installment of "Watch the Throne". later!


	35. Blood Moon, Silver and Guns

A/N: where we last left off, Korihime had chosen to go with Koga not only to help him keep his Shikon Jewel shards but to also help him restore his tribe he lost by Naraku's hand. will she be successful in helping him keep his shards?

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 35: Blood Moon, Silver and Guns**_

She bristled slightly at the sight of the priestess, stiff-leggedly moving to stand next to him. "You're the priestess that shot Moryomaru last time with a sacred arrow. Kikyo, wasn't it?" She greeted, feigning politeness even though the stink of death that reeked from the woman stung her nose.

"So you're after Moryomaru too, then." He guessed of the priestess.

Her brown eyes looked determined and sharp, making the female wolf tense and bristle again as she instinctively reached for her bow. "Listen to me," she declared, grabbing an arrow and her bow, aiming at the male wolf. "Cease your pursuit of Moryomaru." She ordered.

He snorted derisively as his female companion growled and also loaded her bow, aiming at her as the arrow in her bow glowed pink. "Lady, I heard you were reckless, not stupid."

"I have no intention of taking your life, I just need you to give me the Shikon Jewel shards in your legs…" The pink arrow sailed past her right ear, surprising her.

She huffed and loaded another arrow, her blue eyes frigid. "That was a warning shot: if you fire that arrow at him I'll end your worthless afterlife. Got it?" She growled, reminiscent of her sister in the cold and protective manner she guarded her companion with.

"Kori," he began.

"Wolf, you know as well as I that if I do not take the shards from his legs, he'll be most likely consumed by Naraku or Moryomaru and have his shards taken regardless. Why do you prolong his inevitable fate?" Kikyo demanded sharply.

Korihime bristled again, a fang showing in her grimace. "Because even if he may seem like just another demon not utilizing his powers to help purify the Shikon no Tama to you, he's someone important to me! I won't hesitate to kill a priestess bitch that threatens the life of the man I've promised to protect. Koga is my pack and my future, you miserable specter, so you'll have to kill me to get to his shards." She snarled coldly, bristling like mad as her aura spiked and flared that soft pink color until it framed her body.

"I'm starting to think you're both insane," Koga muttered.

"You must've noticed by now that the shards in your legs are being controlled by the will of another; I'm sure you've realized that your legs have stopped moving each time you're in the face of an enemy."

"Kagome mentioned that, something about them being controlled by an ancient priestess named Midoriko."

The bow trembled slightly. "And now I've fused her soul with mine in order to defeat Naraku. In order to destroy him, the Shikon Jewel must be completed and then purified. Every time your legs stop moving it's because Midoriko is trying to give the shards to Naraku. But if you lose your shards in the heat of battle, you may very well lose your life along with them."

Korihime winced and then growled loudly.

"Oh, so I'm just supposed to hand them over to you instead then?" Koga wondered sardonically.

"I've made a vow to destroy Naraku; I give you my word…" Kikyo began.

Koga snarled and bared his teeth. "Don't give me that bullshit! You're not the only one who's got a score to settle with Naraku; he's the one who destroyed hundreds upon hundreds of members of my tribe and you expect me to just run away to save my own skin? You're nuts…!" He leaped at her as she fired the arrow.

Korihime released her own arrow, sending it flying as the arrow ripped into the right sleeve of her white _kosode_.  
"You're dead so you should know your place!" She barked angrily.

"Your aim sucks; Kor, let's go." Koga declared, perking her ears.

Korihime glowered at the priestess's brown orbs. "Come at him again and I'll send you back to the netherworld on a one-way." She vowed, leaping after her companion.

* * *

"Your attacks cannot penetrate my armor…" He sneered.

"**KURO-FUBUKI TAIHO**!" A wide barrage of black ice shards sailed at the hodgepodge, sending him flying back into the air several hundred yards.

The _hanyou_ landed next to the two wolf demons, looking at the female as she glowered after the distracted demon, her aura having spiked and now emanating a soft pink glow around her body. "Korihime," he said in something like awe and surprise that she had unleashed such a strong attack.

She looked at him and smirked, flexing her claws. "Been awhile." She greeted.

He smiled at her, looking at her male counterpart. "Oi, scrawny wolf boy, I need you to lure him down to the ground; we don't stand a chance against him while he's in the air. On the ground I can hit him with Dragon-Scale Tetsusaiga and destroy his demon vortex." He instructed.

"Hurry up, InuYasha, before Moryomaru completely consumes the Shikon Jewel!" The priestess barked.

_Why do I have the sinking feeling Naraku is going to come back from being consumed by Moryomaru?_ She wondered, scowling at the hovering demon.

"I still don't think it's such a great idea," Koga huffed.

Korihime rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand. "C'mon, it's easier if we hit him when he's not using his wings." She declared, squeezing his hand and taking off first; InuYasha sprinted after the two wolves as Moryomaru sent shards of adamant at the heels of the trio.

:::::::oOo:::::::

_There're no demon vortices, otherwise he'd have already slain him; that damn Fuyoheki is hiding them!_ She mused, leaping out of the way of the stinger-looking limbs. _Not again!_ She loaded an arrow in her bow and coated it in pink ice, sending it flying at the limbs, freezing them instantly. "Koga, the Goraishi!" She barked.

"_Goraishi!_" Electric sparks shattered the limbs frozen in pink ice before he dropped back to her side and landed nimbly on one foot. "Nice thinking there, Kor." He smirked at her.

She smirked back and chuckled. "Something I picked up from my big sis," she shrugged, loading another arrow into her bow out of instinct.

"Koga, hit him here!" The _hanyou_ barked.

"Be back," he planted a hard kiss on her lips before leaping forward and slashing the place the Tetsusaiga had struck, sparks flying.  
More limbs shot up at the two males.

"Run, Koga!" She barked alertly as the half-breed decked him and sent him flying for his own safety; she fired again, pink ice freezing the oncoming limbs before she hurried to shatter them with the bottom of her long bow, leaping back as more limbs sailed at her and sprinting away in time.

"Kori, move!" He shoved her out of the way of several limbs that flew to grab at her ankles, instead getting captured.

She skidded to a halt and widened her eyes slightly. "**KOGA**!" She shouted.

* * *

"My injuries don't hurt anymore now that _you _healed them." He smirked at her.

**_THWACK_**.

"Give it a rest, womanizer." She growled, resting her long bow and quiver against the tree before plopping down at his side, letting the kitsune shuffle to sit in her lap.

The _hanyou_ guffawed as a large bump swelled on his head.

"Oi, that hurt, Kori!" He griped, glaring at her in hurt.

She shrugged innocently, eyes closed in serene contentment. "That's what you get for scarin' me earlier, and for harassing poor Kagome after ya've already been promised to another female." She reasoned with a sagely nod.

The aforementioned priestess smiled humbly and waved it away as her red-clad companion snickered and grinned smugly at seeing the ever-arrogant male wolf being kept in check.

He blinked his blue eyes at her words and quieted, looking at the small fire. "I had a feeling I'd spooked ya," he mumbled.

She opened one eye at him and exhaled, opening both blue eyes before leaning in to kiss his cheek sweetly, perking his ears and making him blush. "So modest," she teased, smiling and then giggling quietly.

He smirked gently and poked her forehead with two fingers, making her pout. "Shut up, pedigree," he chuckled.

"Ugh, I just might be sick from seein' all this mushy bullshit…" The _hanyou_ grumbled grouchily.

A set of blue and a set of brown eyes scowled at him.

**_THWACK_**. "**_BAKA-INU_**_!_"

"_**SIT BOY**__!_"

_WHAM_. "G-geh!"

The male wolf and kitsune deadpanned.  
"… _What an idiot_."

::::::xXx::::::

A loud snarl rang out as she slashed at his throat with her claws.

"Too slow!" He leaped back, watching the she-wolf draw her katana and glare at him with stony silver eyes. "Lady Getsuei, we meet again." He greeted with a fake smile.

"Byakuya," she growled.

_I told you to stay back_, he thought with an inward sweatdrop, gripping the hilt of Tensaiga.

"And Lord Sesshomaru! What brings you here?" He wondered, speaking as if he were talking to two old friends.

He glared stonily at him, mirroring his mate. "Moryomaru's scent has disappeared; I would imagine he was consumed by Naraku." He guessed coolly.

"And you're here to save Kohaku. This is rather uncharacteristic of you; perhaps having a spoiled bitch around for so many years has made you grow soft." He rebutted in the same tone.

He growled, "I smelled a foul stink and came to get rid of it. And here you are."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I must take my leave." He held up a small origami crane before disappearing in a cloud of miasma, lifting into the air on a larger crane. "Farewell for now, Lord and Lady of the West. And next time I suggest you announce yourself instead of jumping in so callously!" He declared before leaving the scene and effectively avoiding a jet of blue fire that was sent his way.

She flexed her claws and grumbled, sheathing her katana. "I'm really starting to hate him."

"The feeling's mutual." He mused as he followed suit and then looked at the unconscious boy. "Poison should be easy for you to take out." He guessed, looking up at her.

She nodded, hesitating to take a step closer to the snake-afflicted child, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono. "Pretty easy, considering I've lived alongside your Poison Claws for a few centuries." She snickered when he pouted at her, smiling cheekily.

"Kohaku!" The girl exclaimed as she and the imp scurried out from the hiding of the bushes to draw closer to the unconscious boy.

"The snakes are poisonous, don't touch him. Otherwise Getsu will have to extract the poison from more than just one… "patient"." He warned calmly without looking at the girl.

She nodded. "Um, okay, but what if you've already been bitten…?" She wondered innocently, looking at the writhing purple snake that had its fangs embedded in the imp's right arm.

The she-wolf grinned evilly as a dark aura came from behind her. "Then we'll just need to cut off the limb." She said in a dramatic voice, effectively spooking the already-petrified imp further.

"P-please help me, Lord Sesshomaru…" The imp whimpered.

The girl sweatdropped.

* * *

"**Goraishi**!"

"**Kuro-Fubuki Taiho**!"

The wolf demon leaped away in time as a torrent of blackened ice shards sailed at the _hanyou_, breaking bits and pieces off of the adamant limb as most of them struck at his face.

His red eyes glared from the wolf demon to the owner of the ice cannon, sneering at the she-wolf. "Korihime, it's been a while. Don't tell me your precious sister has finally abandoned you." He growled.

"We had our difference of matters; but enough about me. Let the priestess go, Naraku." She spat, loading an arrow into her bow and aiming at his head.

"Kori, fire!" He barked, perking her ears.

_You got it!_ She released the arrow, a thick glow of pink consuming the wooden projectile as it sailed at the _hanyou_.  
It destroyed one of the various limbs that sailed past her at her companion.

"Not again!" She formed the ice daggers into her hands and flew at him, tearing at the limbs just as the shards in his legs started to feel heavy again.

_Damn it, not now!_ He inwardly snarled, perking up as miasma spewed into the air. "Kori, get away!" He shouted, punting her out of the way of more limbs that latched onto his ankles.

"Koga, no!" She cried, her heels bouncing against the wall of the gorge before she launched herself at the wolf demon, an arrow in her bow. "**KOGA**!"

The adamant limb smacked her right in the face, making her yelp and be sent flying in the direction of the monk, demon slayer, kitsune and _neko_ that caught her from crashing into the gorge wall.

"Korihime!" The demon slayer exclaimed as the monk helped her onto the back of the large _neko_, looking at her concernedly.

Koga snarled, "**you sick fuck, how dare you hit the woman I love**!?" He bared his teeth angrily.

Naraku cackled and sneered up at the caught wolf, "I wouldn't be worrying over that **pathetic bitch** so much as for myself if I were you, Koga." He taunted, feeling the _Okami-yokai_'s aura spike wildly in his hatred.

Korihime heard her inner conscious snarling at her.

_Wake up! Koga's in trouble; didn't you hear that he loves you? __**WAKE**__**UP**__! __**KORIHIME**__!_

'_Korihime!_' Her sister's smiling face flashed in her mind.

Her brow quivered.  
_Onee-chan_…

'_Korihime!_' Her parents' smiling and happy faces appeared.

_Mother, Father_…

'_Kori!_' The male wolf's cocky grin flashed in her mind and seemed to linger there the longest.

_Koga_… **_Koga_**_!_

"**NARAKU**!" The _hanyou_'s roar awoke her.

Her eyes flew open and she looked up into a pair of eyes the color of a clear sky.  
"Koga," she mumbled.

He flashed that cocky grin she found that she loved most. "Hey there, beautiful." He replied softly.

"Korihime!"

"Kori-chan!"

She looked to see the faces of Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kagome and Kirara looking at her in relief. "You guys," she smiled, looking away and pushing on his chest gently, straightening on her own.

The wind whipped softly at her hair as she looked at the two _hanyou_, the red-clad better half and the vile and putrid worse half, both glaring at each other. _InuYasha_, she thought, reaching for her quiver and loading an arrow into her bow.

"**Dragon-Scale Tetsusaiga**!" He sliced through the swirling violet demon vortex with the scale-coated fang, surprising her.

_Did he do it?_ She wondered, feeling that such a thought was vain.  
Knowing Naraku, he was just too damn vile to die so easily… He **always** had a contingency plan, just as Getsu had said a while back.

Adamant formed quickly over his right arm as the _hanyou_ landed on his left limb.

_He regenerated?_ She thought, her subconscious seeming to snort in confirmation that realistically she was correct; her eyes widened alertly as the said _hanyou_ was about to gloat heartily before a wide dark red void opened up where his right arm was. "Is that…?" She began.

"The inside of Naraku's body." The male wolf finished grimly.

"Dragon-Scale Tetsusaiga must've worked!" The demon slayer guessed.

"That and Koga's jewel shards," the monk chimed.

Her eyes sharpened as the Shikon Jewel shined from inside the depths of his body. "InuYasha, the Shikon Jewel is inside his body!" She cried.

"Good, that means I'm gonna destroy you **AND** the Jewel!" The _hanyou_ growled.  
The worser _hanyou_ growled, releasing the priestess at last and letting her fall into the gorge.

"Kikyo!" He flew down after her.

Everyone gathered perked up as the void was beginning to close in.

_The void's closing!_ "_Idiot_, drop the priestess and get back up here! **INUYASHA**!" She shouted loudly, her voice echoing off the walls of the gorge.

The male wolf flew forward into the void.

"Koga wait!" The priestess barked.

"My jewel shards are supposed to purify Naraku, aren't they? Well it's now or never; let's see if it works!" He shouted back.  
Her eyes widened again. _That fool!_

"I can't sense the jewel's presence anymore; **it's a trap**!" Kagome shouted.

"**_WHAT_**_!?_"

She gritted her teeth. "**KOGA, IT'S NOT THERE**!" She screamed.

"What!?" He barked.

"_Too late!_" Limbs shot out from inside the void, coiling around the wolf demon.

"**NO**!" Korihime shouted.

::::::dOb::::::::

"Come back, Kohaku, you're not supposed to move!" The girl cried.

She dusted her hands and straightened, exhaling. _Geez that kid is stubborn_, she thought, meeting his gold eyes.  
"At least you cleansed him of the poison," he mused.

She nodded, looking at the boy and the girl they had raised and sighed again. "Hold that thought." She declared, shrugging past him to go talk some sense into that stubborn child.

"Just to be clear, don't go asking Lord Sesshomaru to come with us… _G-geh!_" The imp squawked when she stomped her foot onto his head, rubbing his face into the dirt with well-practiced ease.

"Getsu-onee," the girl mused.

She sighed. "If you think for one second that you're gonna go and be a hero to a dead priestess then you're more bull-headed than Sesshomaru or me combined. You're still recuperating, and it'd be both wrong and foolish of me to let you just walk out of here like that." She kicked the imp away effortlessly, stooping a little to stare eye-to-eye with the boy.

"But Lady Getsu, you don't understand, Lady Kikyo is in trouble…" He began to protest.

She scowled and gently cuffed him over the head. "Idiot pup, don't delude yourself. You're staying with us, at least for as long as it takes to be rid of Naraku. Ontop of that, you would make Rin a very unhappy girl if you went and got killed by that prick, and I made a promise to make sure that doesn't happen to her. You're staying, Kohaku." She decided sternly, reminiscent of the rare times she would scold Korihime in the past for pulling a stunt or trying to be bold and foolish.

"Lady Getsu…" He said in something like surprise, brown eyes wide.

She flashed a kind smile, tousling his brown hair. "C'mon, we'd better keep moving. Rin," she declared, straightening to trod after her mate that awaited her a few yards away.

The girl beamed brightly, grabbing her friend's wrist. "Let's go, Kohaku!" She giggled.

"H-hey, wait for me!" The imp squawked and flew after them.

"The scent in the wind has changed." He noted, perking her ears.

She sniffed the air and widened her eyes a little, catching her sister's scent with it. _Korihime_, she thought, frowning softly.

"Has something happened to Lady Kikyo?" The boy asked alertly.

He saw the frown in her brow and dropped his gaze from the scarlet twilight. "It's too late."

She nodded, looking at the boy and smiling a little out of sympathy, walking at his side as he continued.  
"I'm sure she's alive." He assured softly, his voice quiet enough even the children couldn't hear.

"I know she is… She has to be." She whispered, her silver eyes dropped as she let a curtain of ebony hair fall down her shoulder gracefully.  
He lifted his hand to brush the hair from her face, tucking the locks behind her right ear. "I really would have to kill that damn wolf if anything happened to her." He mused.

She blushed softly at his gentle touch before smiling for him, chuckling. "Don't hog all the fun." She chided.

He smiled at hearing her laugh even if it was only a chuckle, he himself chuckling softly.

* * *

A/N: and so Naraku survived, something that doesn't surprise me knowing him. anywho, so now what will happen?

** Korihime's attack "**_Kuro-Fubuki Taiho_**" (according to my engl. to jap. dictionary) = "**Black Blizzard Cannon**"


	36. Heald: Tempted Fate, Shedding Star Tears

A/N: where we last left off, Sesshomaru and Getsu had taken in Kohaku to keep his Shikon shard pure until they could find a way to utilize it to finally destroy Naraku. in the mean time, Koga lost his shards after all.. now what will he do? will he still try to restore his tribe?

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 36: Healed: Tempted Fate, Shedding Star Tears**_

She tilted her head to one side. _Something's been bugging him; is it the _Meido Zangetsuha_? Or is it something else..?_ She wondered.  
A soft breeze stole through the long grass; her eyes sharpened as a shadow appeared in the clouds overhead.

'_Something's coming_,' her inner demon hummed.

_Got that right. But the shadow… it looked like a _**dog**_. Are there other _Inu-yokai_ around here?_ She thought back a response, keeping her eyes on the shadowed figure above them.

His gold eyes sharpened at the sight of the familiar hound; the ground left his feet as he rose up, climbing higher to greet the… old acquaintance, his bones creaking and shifting until he took on the form of a large white dog with red eyes.

"Lord Sesshomaru, wait!" The imp barked.

Her inner demon whined loud in her ears, begging to be let loose as she watched him transform.

Both he and the newcomer growled in likeness, bumping against each other and twirling in the sky before crashing down to earth, creating a cloud of dust around their landing spot.

She moved closer to the scene, perking her ears as she caught sight of a female _yokai_ standing opposite him, a stole wrapped around her arms and trailing on the bottom of a long blue robe; her eyes sharpened as she realized the stole matched the one he wore on his right shoulder.

_This woman… she's his __**mother**__!_ She thought in awe before her eyes calmed and she ogled the strange female. _Well, now I know where Sesshomaru got his crescent_.

:::::::xXx:::::::

A vein twitched on her brow.

"Honestly, you're such a friggin' womanizer," she growled, dragging him away by a firm hand wrapped around his tail.

"O-Ow, geez, that hurts, Kor!" He yelped.

**_THWACK_**.

"Quit moping around for no damn reason; Kagome's gonna be just fine without you there sniffing after her. Besides, if you put the moves on her again, a certain _baka-inu_ will brain you dead." She stated, ignoring the large bump that swelled on his head.

The aforementioned _hanyou_ smirked a little at their antics. "At least one of you is understanding." He mused calmly.

She looked over at him from pulling on the wolf demon's cheek, blue meeting gold; she smiled gently, letting him go to say her goodbye to him. "Yin and yang, right?" She shrugged.

"Thanks for helping, Kori. Maybe we'll meet up again, one of these days." He declared.

She nodded and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight and surprising him; the male wolf growled a threat behind them, grumbling something about 'gettin' yer stinkin' mutt paws off my woman'.

He smiled slightly and squeezed her back, letting her slip free. "Don't look so damn mopey, okay? You're the alpha here. You've gotta be strong, if not for those three then for your mate. And if we do meet again one day I'll be hoping it'll be on lighter terms." She replied gently, smiling up at his somber gold orbs.

He nodded, smiling again. "I'll remember that." He promised.

She chuckled and leaned up to kiss his nose, seeing him wrinkle it and pout, making him look younger than his gruffness and cantankerous words often made him out to be; she laughed softly, smiling cheekily when he scowled at her for laughing at him.

"You're just as mental as always," he grumbled, watching her turn back to the three wolf demons.

She looked at him and winked. "Shut up and go kill that fucker for me." She sighed.

The male clan head was all too happy to have her back at his side, hooking his arm around her hips. "Ugh, now you reek of dog," he grumbled.  
She giggled and elbowed his ribs affectionately. "Shut up."

"You take care," the monk declared as Ginta and Hakkaku said their goodbyes as well.

"Koga!" Everyone turned to stare at the _hanyou_ whose gold eyes were for the clan head. "Listen wolf boy, if you think you've lost your shards for nothin', you're wrong! Your effort won't go to waste." He promised sharply.

The wolf demon smirked wryly. "Yeah well, I'm holdin' you to that. Kagome, come look me up if y'ever get sick of the pup… Ow, Kori!" He yelped as she tugged on his ear reproachfully, a vein twitching on her brow.

"Just shut up and quit hounding, idiot mongrel. See you guys later; don't worry, InuYasha, I'll make sure to keep this idiot on a short leash." She promised with a smirk, releasing his ear to sprint away.

He huffed and grinned after her, running at her heels until they were side-by-side, the wolf brothers lagging behind as always.

* * *

"Sesshomaru, as I recall, you once despised humans, didn't you? And yet here you are with two human children in your company. I suppose you're going to eat them…" The demoness trailed off as her gold eyes roamed to the ebony-haired _daiyokai_ standing dutifully at her son's side. "And this must be my esteemed daughter-in-law you mentioned you were going to one day wed, long ago. She's rather lovely." She mused, seeing the younger demoness's eyes sharpen slightly at her acknowledgement.

She smiled a little in meekness and bowed slightly, straightening. "Getsuei of the Western Wolf Clan, milady. It's an honor to meet you." _Come to think of it, Sesshomaru never talked much about his mother_, she mused.

She nodded, slightly surprised as well as pleased that her daughter-in-law was at least respectable. "Well, Sesshomaru, it seems you chose well; it's rare to see a wolf demon be so respectable, let alone a female one. You're from the west, you say? I must offer my condolences. I remember your mother; Lady Saya was byfar the kindest woman I had the honor of knowing, and was also a gifted healer. Your father was a ruthless warrior in battle, at least according the stories I heard, but at the same time he was respectable and kind as well. You look a lot like him." She smiled a little, irking her son at such a rare sight.

She hardly ever smiled, especially infront of him.

She blinked before her eyes saddened a little and she shrugged, rubbing her neck. "Thank you for your kind words, milady." _Now I see where Sesshomaru got his stoic character from_, she inwardly added as her inner demon seemed to nod sagely in agreement.

_This girl, she truly is a _daiyokai_; Lord Kiba's blood certainly was not wasted on his firstborn child_, the demoness mused at noting that the she-wolf's demonic aura almost rivaled that of her son's, proving true that she really was the firstborn of a powerful _Okami-daiyokai_ such as Kiba of the West.

"Tensaiga can open a path to the underworld; surely Father must've told you something about it at this point." Sesshomaru finally spoke, stirring her from her thoughts.

She lifted the large sapphire pendant framed with gold around her neck, "Oh? He never told me about it; all he gave me was this _Meido_ stone."

"A '_Meido_ stone'?"

She lifted the stone a little in her palms, "he told me to use it should you ever come to me for advice. Also, he mentioned something else; as I recall, he said that using the _Meido_ stone would put you in great danger… but he told me not to fret or be sad about it."

Getsu deadpanned. _Yep, now I know where he got his personality from… I wonder if his mother knew that she technically created a monster, not that there's a pun_, she thought.

"What ever shall I do? Your mother is terribly distressed!" She exclaimed in mock dramatics, the sarcasm present enough to the point where her keen wolf nose could smell it.

Sesshomaru deadpanned and grumbled, "your words are as hollow as ever."

She raised the jewel in her hands. "Very well then, I shall have you entertain me."

A bright yellow light came from the amulet before a hulking maroon hellhound growled and leaped at the two _daiyokai_.  
"Getsu," he barked a warning before drawing Tensaiga as she leaped out of the way and landed on one foot expertly next to the chair his mother sat in.

"Your reflexes are good, something to be expected of an _Okami-daiyokai_." She commented.

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_" A crescent void appeared behind the hound, seeming to have little effect on it.  
_  
Shit, the void isn't working as well as it did on those demons from before_, she thought with a growl.

"So this is Sesshomaru's _Meido_; it's nowhere near a complete circle." The older of the two females said thoughtfully.

"So he hasn't mastered it, then," she mumbled.

"It's a hound from the underworld; at present, Sesshomaru, it would appear that your sword can do neither real harm nor any good." His mother mused in something that sounded like disappointment.

The hound gave a snarl and took both Rin and Kohaku into its maw before turning tail and retreating into the void.

Sesshomaru growled in frustration and hurried after it towards the void he'd opened; Getsu clicked her tongue and flew after him.

"Wait, Sesshomaru!" She barked, making both _daiyokai_ halt just short of following the phantom canine. "You intend to take the path to the underworld: for what, to save two human children? You've never been prone to such foolishness!" She declared.

He huffed, "nor am I prone to it now, mother. Let's go," he nodded to his mate who nodded back before they both leaped after the hound.

::::::oOo:::::::

He looked at the girl with worry in his eyes.

"Sesshomaru," she mused quietly, looking at the Tensaiga at his hip and recalling the welder's words. _His heart really has changed for the better, even if he doesn't show that it has. I know that having me and Korihime and then Rin around has softened him up from how he once was, especially towards humans_…

The boy roused, making her ears twitch, brown eyes opening and looking up into the faces of his current caretakers. "Lord Sesshomaru, Lady Getsu," he began in something like relief.

"It appears you're able to move, most likely because of the power of the Shikon Jewel shard," Sesshomaru mused, reverting to his outward-tone of stoicness with flawless ease.

A crash sounded behind them before the part of the path they had abandoned started to break, crumbling down into the pitch-black depths of the abyss below the thin bridge they were on.

"The path!" Kohaku barked in surprise.

The flapping of wings sounded overhead as at least five vulture skeletons dove down at the quartet, a loud roar sounding from the abyss before two dragon-looking demons rose up to try and get at them.  
_  
Well this is great_, she thought with a growl, flexing her claws.

"Take Rin and go," he barked at the boy, leaping up at the vultures as she flew at the snakes.

A loud growl rang out as she ripped the heads off the serpentine beasts, one of the heads sent flying into the path and shattering the patch the boy was running on; he yelped and began to fall before she grabbed him in time, her mate at her heels as they leaped to land safely on the untouched end of the path.

She sighed in relief. _This is one of those times I'm glad Kori isn't here; Sesshomaru would've brained her for not being fast enough to dodge that fall_, she thought, looking at the boy and letting him go. "You okay?" She asked.

He nodded, "Yes, thank you Lady Getsu." He replied.

She shrugged, "don't mention it; and stop calling me 'Lady Getsu'… Y'make me sound like my mother. Getsu is fine." She added with a scolding smile.

"Right, Lady… Erm, Getsu," he smiled sheepishly.

She smirked and tousled his hair, straightening, and looking at the rest of the path beyond them. _If we keep going down this path, will we end up in hell? Just what in the name of the moon lies beyond this path?_ She wondered, following her pensive mate with the boy at her side, slipping her arms in the sleeves of her kimono.

The faint scent of death stung her nose as they continued on the path: her ears twitched.

"Lord Sesshomaru, it's Rin… I don't think she's breathing!" Kohaku exclaimed worriedly.

Sesshomaru froze; Getsu's eyes widened.  
_Fuck_…

"…Are you sure, Kohaku?" There was no denying the scent of death: now it was really reeking off her little body. A wolf's nose just knew… It was as simple as that.

"I…I'm afraid so." He hesitated to answer.

He briefly hesitated to speak as that old feeling he thought he had buried long ago slowly resurfaced, bringing his inner demon to start growling and bristling angrily at the alien sensation. "You're sure Rin is dead?" He saw his mate cringe at the notion, resting his gold eyes on the boy.

If this boy was tricking him, Shikon shard or not, he **would** kill him for daring to toy with his ties to that girl that was vital to not only him but his mate… and Korihime.

"She's not breathing, and I can feel her body getting colder and colder!" The boy confirmed his fears, and his mate's as well.

"Very well, set her down." He instructed, the tone in his voice quiet.

She swore under her breath, kneeling at the girl's side as he obeyed, lowering a hand to her heart and listening intently for a pulse; her eyes sharpened alertly. "Sesshomaru…" Her voice rose an octave in fear.

"Don't panic," he ordered, seeing her nod and curl her lip at feeling fear, a quiet growl in her throat as she removed her hand from the girl; he drew Tensaiga, preparing to perform the same healing cut he had done long ago on said child before his eyes sharpened.  
**_  
Where were the minions of the netherworld_**_?_  
_  
What's going on, Tensaiga…? Answer me!_ He inwardly snarled at his heirloom sword he had up-until-recently deemed useless.

"Forgive me, Lord Sesshomaru, I wasn't able to protect her…" The boy apologized quietly.

She looked down at the girl's face that appeared as if she were sleeping, lightly dragging her claws through her brown locks. _Rin_… Her sister's beaming face flashed in her mind; she shut her eyes tightly. _Forgive me, Korihime…!_

A heavy pulse came from behind them, surprising her; the pulse continued for another two times before the girl was taken by a swelling cloud of blackness.

"_Rin!_" She sprinted after the darkness at top speed.

"Damn it, Getsu." He growled, bolting after her with the boy at his heels.  
**_  
Don't you dare take my pup_**_!_ She inwardly snarled, her inner demon roaring angrily at the abduction of a child she had not given life to but still felt as if the child were her own. '_Rin!_' It growled.

:::::::xXx:::::::

A bright light shone down on them, illuminating the path, and making the trio stop running before they saw a vision of the castle Sesshomaru's mother resided in.

_The castle?_ She wondered.

'_Please come out, Sesshomaru! If you continue towards me, you'll be able to exit the underworld: however, this path I've opened will soon close, and when it does, you'll never be able to return to this world!_' The demoness's voice cried from the other side of the vision.

"Pft, fat chance I'm going back…" She growled.

"Kohaku, take this path while it is open. Getsu, go with him." His words jerked her from her spoken thoughts, perking her ears.  
The boy blanched, "what?"

"I'm not going anywhere! Rin is my responsibility too, remember? You and I both promised Korihime that we would keep her safe, Sesshomaru!" She shouted, bristling and glaring into his gold eyes that looked surprised at her reaction.

His brow furrowed and he growled, looking at the darkness around them. "I'm starting to hate when you're right." He grumbled, turning to the left and continuing to follow the abyss.

She spared the castle one final glance before trotting after him until she flanked his right side dutifully; the boy followed the two _daiyokai_ shortly.

"It's bad enough to lose Rin, but to lose **you** as well…" A soft snarl was uttered between his teeth that had sharpened in his anger.

Her eyes saddened and she nodded, looking down and taking his slightly shaking hand in her own, letting him squeeze tightly. "You're not going to lose me. Not ever. We made a promise, long ago, to stay together, you and me. I won't go back on my word, Sesshomaru." She crooned softly, feeling his hand slowly stop shaking in her grip.

He nodded slightly and lessened his tight grip he held on her fingers just a little, gold eyes somber. "And neither will I." He replied in the same tone.

She smiled fondly as he squeezed her hand tenderly like he did whenever she was feeling down or thinking about her sister, looking forward into the abyss. "I'm glad."

* * *

The stink of death was stronger now.

A bristle rippled down her spine at the sight of the hulking faceless creature hundreds of yards ahead of them clutching a dead girl in its right hand.

"So that's the guardian of the underworld," he grumbled as the wind picked up from behind and tried to steer them closer.

The boy yelped as he was swept up with the wind, flying forward.  
She grabbed his ankle and yanked him back, letting him flop onto his backside with a second yelp. "Sheesh, I'm starting to not see the point of letting you stick around…" She grumbled under her breath.

"That's the last time; I won't have you causing us anymore trouble, understand?" He growled at the boy, his gold eyes annoyed.

He nodded, "Right."

"Stay with Kohaku," he ordered quietly, seeing her nod, before moving forward.

She scowled at the hulking faceless thing as it sent corpses already dead to the red-rimmed pitch black hole in the darkness, lifting its arms and roaring before turning its attention to the oncoming _daiyokai_ that drew his katana and sliced it in half vertically. "He did it," she muttered, watching him snatch the girl up and leap down to land amongst the bodies.

There was still something amiss: the girl's scent didn't change. _Slaying the guardian of the underworld didn't work!_

"Rin…" She whispered, watching the Tensaiga fall limply from his hand before gritting her teeth and glaring at the mound of corpses; she looked at the boy. "Kohaku, stay here." She ordered, sprinting forward and leaping towards the mound, landing nimbly a few feet away from her mate and the dead child cradled in his arm.

The salty scent of tears assailed her nose; her eyes widened as she could tell they were coming from him.

'_Keep Rin safe... Promise me you'll keep her safe, please, Getsu-onee._' Her sister's soft blue stare flashed in her mind again.  
K_orihime… I… I failed you. I couldn't do one simple thing! I couldn't keep her safe, for you_… Hot tears burned the corners of her eyes before slowly falling down her cheeks.

She shook her head fervently, hesitantly taking a step closer to her mate. "Sesshomaru," she croaked softly, her voice sounding weak.

He bristled at her approximation. "**Stay away, Getsu**." He thundered softly, making her cringe at his tone.

She moved closer to his side despite his order, the tears feeling like hot pokers that stung at her cheeks as they went down to her chin. "Sesshomaru." She whispered, hearing him growl a warning before she wrapped her arms around his waist and held onto him.

"I couldn't save her… I couldn't keep my promise, Getsu…" He growled hoarsely, perking her ears.

She buried her cheek into the fabric of his _kosode_, closing her eyes tightly. "It's not your fault, Sesshomaru…" She assured in a likewise-hoarse voice, gritting her teeth despite her reassuring statement.

"The Tensaiga is glowing!" The boy's voice reached their ears.

She opened her eyes stiffly to see a blinding light coming from the aforementioned fang, tensing as the corpses shifted around them, seeming to get at where they stood.

A defensive snarl ripped from her throat as she pressed herself closer to his body, perking up as the corpses seemed to want to get at the glowing sword stuck in the ground.

Her eyes sharpened. _They're not after us… They're after Tensaiga! But why…? Of course! Tensaiga can save a hundred souls in one strike! They must want to be purified_…

"Tensaiga," she murmured.

He glanced at the corpses and then at the glowing form of his heirloom fang. _You all wish to be saved… is that it?_ He stooped a little to lift the sword up from the ground, the glow brightening around them and forcing his mate to shut her eyes again.

::::::dOb:::::::

She looked up at the clouds.

His ears twitched as he noted the alertness in her petite body, a slight bristle visibly showing. "Kor, is something up?" He wondered.

She blinked at hearing his voice and looked over at him, her eyes softening at the confusion and curiosity in his blue stare. "No, it's nothing… I was just thinking about Rin." She mused.

"Rin… she's that human girl you were taking care of before, right?" He guessed, seeing her nod.

Her eyes softened thoughtfully and she looked up at the skies again, a soft breeze tugging at her hair. _Why do I have the feeling that something is off? I can't smell Getsu's scent, except up in the sky. Is she taking flying lessons again? And Sesshomaru… something doesn't smell right. I hope Rin is okay_, she thought.

* * *

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_" A large oval-shaped void tore into the atmosphere, surprising the imp and demoness (even though she didn't show it).  
Sesshomaru, Getsu and Kohaku passed over from the other side of the void, the caster of the void attack cradling a dead Rin in his arm.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried in relief with crocodile tears in his eyes.

"So you've returned." The demoness said thoughtfully, inwardly relieved that her son had remained alive through his "training session".

He nodded slightly and set the girl down on the wooden staircase, looking at his mate as she sat down next to the girl's head, the sadness still shining brightly in her silver orbs as the bottom rims of her eyes looked puffy from weeping.

"What's wrong, Sesshomaru? You look so sad. Tensaiga has matured considerably and your _Meido_ has expanded just as you'd hoped; isn't that reason enough for celebration?" She asked, seeing his eyes drift to the somber form of his mate before locking on her likewise-gold orbs.

He bristled. "Did you know that would happen to Rin: **_did you_**, mother!?" He thundered softly, his voice ice-cold and laced with anger at not only himself for being such a fool but also at his mother for not telling him beforehand of the consequences his little quest would bring.

The younger female winced a little at his tone, looking down at the girl and frowning. _I've never heard him sound so angry, not even when his father passed_, she thought, looking up at him again. _Sesshomaru_…

"If I'm not mistaken, you've already used Tensaiga to revive her once, didn't you? Son, Tensaiga can only call one person back from the dead **_once_**. It only makes sense; life is not meant to be limitless, after all."

His eyes sharpened alertly at his mother's words as she continued.

"It's not something that can be revived over and over for your convenience. Sesshomaru, had you come to believe that you were a god, perhaps? You did not need to fear death so long as Tensaiga was in your hands? You needed to learn two things: the desire to save a loved one taken by death and the sorrow and fear which accompanies that loss."  
_  
Sorrow and fear…?_ Both _daiyokai_ wondered in unison.

"Your father wanted me to tell you this: Tensaiga is a sword for healing. Only a person who values life and possesses a compassionate heart may wield such a power and bury their enemies. That is the requirement of any who wish to be worthy of Tensaiga, a sword that can save lives and condemn others."

She shuddered and heard her inner demon growl. _He had to lose Rin… we had to lose Rin, in order for him to learn about compassion…? What kind of game is this?_ She thought.

"Young Getsuei, I've noticed you haven't said a word about this. Are you rendered speechless or has being in the underworld struck you mute?" She asked, jerking her from her thoughts and seeing her silver eyes lift up to meet her gold stare.

She looked at the girl and raised a hand to gently brush locks of brown hair away with her claws. "It's not that, it's just… Rin, she was important to us, to Sesshomaru, my little sister, and myself. We basically raised her since the day Sesshomaru brought her back from the dead, treating her as if she were our own child. We've become a family to her. Korihime, my sister, she… she had Sesshomaru and I promise to keep Rin safe and we… we failed in doing so. We failed to keep a simple promise…! I failed Rin, and I failed Korihime in doing so…"

The tears returned at full-force, making her shoulders shake slightly as she shut her eyes tightly against the flow of hot tears that fell down her cheeks.

He winced at seeing her practically sobbing, reaching to touch her cheek, surprising her; she looked up at him past the tears standing in her eyes to see sadness darkening his gold orbs that often reminded her of the sun. He tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear before leaving her to lower her head and clench her teeth, sniffing.

His mother watched this exchange in silent responses before her shoulders slumped a little.

"This is her last chance, you understand?" She exhaled, removing the _Meido_ amulet from around her neck and lowering it to place the stone over the girl's heart as the younger demoness moved away to join her mate at his side, letting him slide his arm around her shoulders.

A bright glow came from the jewel before radiating around the girl; both _daiyokai_'s ears perked as they heard her heart beat once more.  
_Her heart!_ She thought, eyes widening as the scent of death faded instantly.

The girl's eyes opened stiffly to reveal her usually-bright brown orbs, before she coughed slightly, starting to cough again when his hand touched her cheek gently, surprising her as she stared up at his gold eyes that effortlessly hid his relief with his usual stoicness.

She smiled. "Lord Sesshomaru, you're here."

"You're alright, Rin," he assured quietly.

She nodded. "I am."

"Rin!" Kohaku and Getsu declared before the latter wrapped her arms around the girl and hugged her tightly, making the girl squeak before recognizing the female wolf's arms and hugging back.

"Getsu-onee, you're here!" Rin chirped, hearing her laugh softly before she nuzzled her cheek against the girl's head.

Sesshomaru smiled a little at the two females. "That's enough, Getsu, you're going to squeeze the life out of her again…" He scolded in what sounded like a gentle tone, irking the boy as both girls looked at him and blinked once.

"And you!" Getsu released the girl to backhand him sharply, making him wince.

Kohaku blinked in confusion.

Sesshomaru's mother cocked a brow in likewise confusion.

Jaken blanched.

Rin tilted her head to one side.

"Ow…" A vein twitched on his brow. "**What the hell was that for**!?" Sesshomaru demanded indignantly as a bump swelled on his head, glaring at her silver orbs and seething.

"Me!? That was for nearly giving me a damn heart attack with letting Rin get taken by that damn hound! Great moon you scared me to death, you idiot prat mongrel!" Getsu snapped hotly, a likewise-vein twitching on her brow as she glared back.

Both _daiyokai_ held each other's annoyed stares for a good solid minute before his shoulders slumped and he reluctantly backed down, her words swimming in his head. "I scared you to death, hm?" He wondered quietly, the indignant fire in his eyes dimming to be replaced with a somber look.

She sighed shakily and nodded, glancing at the red flowers on his _kosode_ sleeve. "'Course you did. Any reckless idiot stunt you pull scares me because I don't want to lose you." She admitted, blushing.

His gold eyes softened at the hint of reddish pink that tinted her cheeks, his hand lifting to stroke her cheek. "We've been together for over a century; you should know by now that our journey hasn't been easy." He mused.

The blush deepened at his touch to her cheek; she held his hand there, meeting his gold stare before her eyes softened and she smirked dryly. "Don't patronize me." She chided, pouting when he chuckled under his breath.

Once again his mother was stunned at the change in her son's attitude. This female wolf had changed him, all right, and apparently it was for the better… This pleased her.

"It appears my son has chosen well, after all. Of all the females he could have courted and then chosen as a mate and suitable wife, I am pleased to know that he's found happiness with a kind and strong wolf demon like you, Getsuei." His mother mused aloud, making everyone gathered look at her.

Sesshomaru blinked. Did she just say that she _approved_ of Getsu…?

"Really?" Getsu wondered.

"Mother," he began in something like awe.

She let a little smile form on her porcelain-looking face.

"Although I will digress that you've picked up one of your father's more… strange, habits, this princess of the Western Wolf Clan has changed you, Sesshomaru, and apparently for the better." Her gold eyes left his likewise-gold orbs to rest on the aforementioned female _daiyokai_'s silver stare and she nodded once to her surprised face. "I can only ask and hope that you continue to take good care of my son and keep him happy." She added quietly.

She looked at him before smiling and then looking up at her mother-in-law, nodding. "I will. Thank you, milady, for everything." She replied kindly.

He smiled slightly at the exchange in smiles from both females. _I had a strange feeling they would hit it off_, he thought.

* * *

A/N: lol i just had to make Sesshy out to be.. y'know, OOC. he's so cute when he's like that~ *huggles Sesshy*

_Sesshomaru_: .. get off me. and _**review**_, those of you reading this madness...

_Getsu_: **BAKA-INU**! *whacks him with Bakusaiga*


	37. Flying - A Future Without You

A/N: where we last left off, Sesshomaru and Getsu had taken a field trip to the underworld in order for Sesshomaru to train more with the new technique of Tensaiga called "_Meido Zangetsuha_". this chap holds a little surprise visit so i'll shut up now and let you read. enjoy~  
_  
(also on a side note, the title for this chap came from the song "__**Kimi ga Inai Mirai**__" by __**Do As Infinity**__ (i know, original.. just go with it.))  
_**  
disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 37: Flying - A Future Without You_**

_'If we meet with her again, we're not telling her about what happened to Rin.'_  
_'No, it's best to not tell her. Knowing her, she'll most likely maim the both of us for letting it happen.'_

She frowned slightly at the oncoming sun, watching him rouse the girl so they could continue their journey.

The sooner they got up and kept moving, the better it was to keep the shard pure; or at least that's how he put it...

"Well it smells like someone's gotten stronger." A familiar light voice sounded, perking her ears and almost making him freeze in fixing the halters on the dragon.

She turned about sharply to see her sister's soft blue eyes lock on her silver stare; she grinned toothily, arms folded behind her head.

"Yo." She winked.

"Kori," he began in surprise.

"Kori-onee!" The girl hopped off the dragon's back to throw herself at her babysitter, making her yelp as the force of her throw made both of them fall into the grass before she laughed. "Kori-onee, you're here!" She cried.

Korihime grinned happily and giggled. "'Course I am, where else would I be?" She replied, hugging the girl tight in a bear-hug.

_So that must be her sister_, the boy mused, finding himself smiling at the happy reunion.

"I thought Mr. Arrogant was keeping you on a leash." Getsu smirked as the two girls sat up before the child stood and helped her babysitter to her feet; both she and her mate picked up on the scent of a claimed female easily.

"Nah, not really. To be honest, it's the other way around." She shrugged innocently, pink coloring her cheeks. "I just felt like visiting. Not that I doubt it would put a damper on things," she mused, looking at her brother-in-law for some sort of confirmation.

Sesshomaru smirked knowingly at her, rolling his eyes. "Of course it wouldn't." He sort of tilted his head to the side as he looked at her. "I think you stretched another two inches. Height-wise, anyway." He mused thoughtfully.

Korihime blinked before she smiled in the same manner. "Did Getsu brain you or something while I was gone? Ya still look the same as ever, nii-san… Still a tight-ass." She muttered the last bit.

A vein twitched on his brow at her comment as his mate snickered. "It's not funny, Getsu." He scolded.

Getsu grinned innocently, kissing his cheek. "I haven't the slightest idea of what you're referring to, darling." She squeezed his hand gently before moving closer to her sister to hug her. "It's good to have you back, Kori." She added.

Korihime smiled and hugged her tight before letting her pull away. "I might stay longer than expected; Koga can use the rest, anyway. Besides, it feels like I missed out on some things." She shrugged innocently and smiled again, looking at the newest face added to their party. "I remember you; you were traveling with that priestess… Kohaku, right?" She asked, stepping away from her sister.

He nodded, smiling a little at the memory. "Yeah. It's nice to meet you." He replied.

She smiled kindly, nodding. "Likewise; I guess you could tell from all the excitement that I'm Korihime, Getsu's little sister." She laughed sheepishly.

"Yeah, Rin's told me a lot about you." He chuckled.

"Has she now?" She wondered curiously, looking at the aforementioned girl as she trotted forward; she smiled and stooped to offer a piggy-back ride, letting her on before standing. "**No wonder** I kept sneezing!" She whined, scrunching up her face and making the girl laugh.

Getsu smiled at the sight, lifting her arms to put her hair up in a ponytail. _We're a pack again_, she thought proudly.

Sesshomaru looked at the happy expression on her pretty face and couldn't help but smile for her, tugging on her sleeve. "Let's go." He declared, seeing her nod, before walking away.

"Shake a leg, pup." Korihime said when seeing her sister and brother-in-law heading out, trotting after them carrying a happy Rin on her back, with a scurrying imp leading Ah-Un carrying Kohaku by the reins.

::::::oOo::::::

He was being grumpier than normal.

Even with Korihime back for as long as she wished to remain with them, that had only lightened his mood for a couple of days before he seemed to get into some sort of frump that made him moody.

Of course this scared the imp, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect on the children, which didn't surprise her.

She wasn't as leery as the imp was of his suddenly grumpy-moody stage, but it did have her concerned for his well-being and sanity.  
It was probably because of his _Meido_; it had become a large oval shaped void, but it wasn't a full moon like Totosai had told him it should look like.

'_You'll get there, you'll be able to master _Meido Zangetsuha_; I know you will_…'

_I know he will; he has to_, she thought, looking at the way the sun bounced off his silver hair and made it look white.

A soft growl came from her sister, jerking her from her thoughts; she followed her sister's tensed blue stare to see a strange child stood to the side of their path. Her eyes sharpened as she noticed that the child didn't have eyes, instead hollow black sockets; she bristled and lowered her hand to the hilt of her katana.

"Lord Sesshomaru, do you want to know the secret of your sword? Do you wish to know what the Tensaiga is lacking?" The child asked in a monotone voice.

He almost snorted; was this child trying to make a fool of him? "You're going to tell me what Tensaiga is lacking... really?" He wondered sardonically.

"Yes, I'm sure it must trouble you greatly. The fact that Tensaiga's _Meido_ has yet to achieve a complete circle." The stranger replied.

_His _Meido_ hasn't turned into a full circle yet?_ The youngest of the trio wondered with a slight tilt of her head, looking at her brother-figure.

"How dare you!?" The imp squawked.

He growled. "Silence, Jaken."

The imp squeaked and looked fearful; the blue-haired female sweatdropped and pat his head slightly.  
His mate continued to stare at the child cautiously, slightly bristling.

"If you wish to learn more, it'd be wise to follow me, Lord Sesshomaru." The child declared over his shoulder, leading them onward.

The blue-haired female snorted. "You're not serious…" She grumbled, perking up as he followed the child. "Nii-san?"

Her sister trotted after him until she was at his side again. "Sesshomaru," she began.

"You won't flee even if I order you to do so." He didn't question her.

She lowered her gaze and nodded, her silver eyes determined when she looked up at his gold stare. "You know I won't." _Even though this has all the stink of a trap_, she thought, inwardly bristling. "And besides, we're stronger together; you know that." She added, smirking wryly.

He smirked a little and nodded, sighing. "That we are." He mused quietly, his inner demon humming at being corrected by the spunky she-wolf he had grown to love. Of course if they were more… naïve in their relationship, he'd be snapping at her like he used to long ago. But they weren't.

* * *

"The child disappeared!" The boy declared, slightly surprising the girl and imp.

The sound of an attack being unleashed came from above.  
"Shit," her sister growled as she leaped at the oncoming violet orb that screamed at where they stood, katana flying from the scabbard she pulled from her side. "Divine…" She blinked as the attack seemed to gain momentum as she reached it. _Damn it!_

"Idiot," he snatched her out of the way with a growl and his arm around her waist, making her yelp in surprise at his sudden lunge as he skidded to a halt short of crashing into the rocky surface of the peak.

"Sesshomaru," she began, perking her ears as they both watched the attack crash into the thin bridge their party were on. "Kori!" She barked.

The aforementioned she-wolf grabbed onto the reins of the dragon, scrambling onto his back as the two children had already beaten her to it, looking over at her sister and nodding. "We're okay!"

A bristle rippled down his spine as he looked up at the tallest point of the peak and saw two figures standing there, one of them the child that had led them into the rocks (almost literally). "There you are; Getsu, hold onto me." He drew Tensaiga as his mate obeyed and bunched her hands in his _kosode_ and stole fur. "_Meido Zangetsuha!_" He sent the large oval void at a higher point of the peak than where he and his mate were, hoping to bring the two down.

"Y'know, Jaken, I just might owe you an apology for doubting." Korihime muttered as she held the reins of the dragon with the girl sitting infront of her and the boy at her back, the imp clinging to the chain of his sickle before scrambling onto the dragon's saddle.

"I see you deliberately aimed at my footing; are you so desperate to learn the secret of Tensaiga that you'd willingly walk into a trap, Sesshomaru?" A snide voice wondered, making both _daiyokai_ look to see the voice was owned by a man clad in black and patches of gray and white; no scratch that… This man wasn't a man but a _yokai_ of some sort… if Getsu had to guess, he was some type of _oni_.

He bristled again and almost growled, letting his mate slip out of his grip as they both dropped to the ground and he glared up at the snide _yokai_.

"And what the hell gives you the right to talk, ogre?" His sister-in-law snapped bitingly, gripping the reins of the dragon.

"I don't care who you are, now tell me how you know about Tensaiga." He snapped coldly as his mate placed the scabbard back in its place at her hip and kept her Mangetsuga in hand.

"Because once long ago, I faced it in battle." The she-wolf's eyes sharpened in something like surprise. "Although back then it looked nothing like it does, now: when I fought against your father, that sword had a different form." He smirked snidely at the visible bristle his explanation gained from the son of that old dog.

The younger she-wolf's eyes widened alertly.

"Against Father?" He spat out.

_He fought against the Inu no Taisho?_ She wondered in surprise before her eyes narrowed. _That's not possible; he couldn't be more than at least five centuries old! Unless he __**is**__ older, but in order to fight against Sesshomaru's father he'd have to be at least nine centuries or even one thousand years old… He's clearly an _oni_, I can smell that stink a mile away… How could an _oni_ live so long without being slain? And furthermore, how in hell would an _oni_ know so much about Tensaiga: they usually aren't very bright, so how did he catch on so quickly to the _Meido Zangetsuha?

Whatever the case was, it was starting to piss her off beyond the point of being irritated.

He leaped at the peak where the _oni_ stood, shattering his footing with the toxins in his claws alone.

"Kori, stay with Ah-Un; I'll signal you for help. Got it?" She instructed as she leaped into the air to hover near the dragon, looking to her sister then glancing at the trio that were her fellow riders.

"Right!" She nodded.

"Getsu-onee, please be careful." The girl child requested, meeting her silver eyes with slight worry.

She smiled warmly and nodded to her, glancing at the boy. "Keep her safe." She added, seeing him nod slightly before she looked at the _oni_, gripping the hilt of her heirloom fang.

_Let's do this, Mangetsuga_, she thought, smirking faintly as her aura spiked and then flared slowly.

"Your tactics amuse me! You fight without your sword in order to learn its secrets? You underestimate me… A deadly mistake!" A wider violet orb sailed at him when the _oni_ swung his staff.

A wide arc of blue-green energy screamed at the orb, the two attacks meeting and then imploding sharply, sending dust flying into the air.

His gold eyes sharpened slightly when his mate's blade clashed with the front of the staff in a silent lunge, sparks flying when metal clashed against metal.

The _oni_ gritted his teeth and growled, digging his feet into the peak he stood on. "You missed."

"I won't explain why I did miss because a bastard like you would never understand my reason: I don't know what kind of grudge you have against Sesshomaru, but don't think I'm just going to sit and let you kill him!" She thundered, forcing him away with her sheer aura alone, said aura emanating from her petite body and forming a lilac-colored glow around her.

He swung the staff at her; she ducked before sending a jet of blue fire at him from her foot, forcing him back again.  
"You overly-confident mongrel brat, know your place!" He sent a large orb at her; she leaped out of the way in time, perking her ears as the orb turned into a _Meido_ void when it crashed into one of the peaks behind her.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened alertly at seeing the large _Meido_ void. _The _Meido_…!_

"The _Meido_ was a complete moon!" Korihime breathed as they had dodged the oncoming void at the last second, watching air blow through the crater the void had created in the peak.

"Getsu, get away from him! **Now**!" Sesshomaru ordered alertly, hearing a growl rip from his mate's throat before the _'klang_' of steel meeting steel hummed in the dusty air. "**Getsuei**!"

Getsu bristled and fought a cringe at his usage of her full name, glaring into the violet eye of the _oni_. "Your _Meido_, how the hell did you do that?" She demanded frigidly.

He huffed and shoved his weight against her, practically tasting the irritation that laced her lilac aura that flared wildly around her. "That is none of your business!" He shoved her off the peak, sending another void at her.

"_Divine Barricade!_" She connected the katana's hilt with the scabbard quickly: an oval-esque barrier formed infront of her, blocking the would've-been critical attack in time.

He sent another void and another, forcing her to drop down and land nimbly next to her mate. "Damn," she muttered.

"You fool, what the hell were you thinking? You would've been swept into the underworld!" He snapped, worry and anger making his face look paler than normal.

She pouted and sighed, glaring up at the _oni_. "You can scold me later, after we deal with him." She declared patiently, her patient tone making his inner demon hum annoyedly.

An annoyed growl thundered in his chest as he nodded begrudgingly: she was so going to get it when this was over, that much he was assured of!

'_He always sounds much more handsome when he's like that_,' her inner demon purred; she rolled her eyes and sent it a warning growl, watching the _oni_ land on a rock infront of the _Meido_ crater the male _daiyokai _had created earlier.

"I'll have you know the _Meido Zangetsuha_ was originally my technique." The _oni_ stated proudly to the two stony-faced _daiyokai_. "That's right, it was mine until your father stole it from me; he took it along with my face!" He removed the half-masque from the left side of his face, revealing the left side of his face was missing.

Sesshomaru snorted. "From what you've said, you've summoned me here not to reveal a secret, but to whine about your technique being stolen, and your face being destroyed!"

"Only one practitioner is needed for each technique especially considering Tensaiga is an incomplete blade!" He swung the staff at the two _daiyokai_, sending a void flying at them.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" The girl exclaimed.

They both dodged in time, the void crashing into a peak and creating a crater in the rock.

"Well, what's the secret?" Sesshomaru demanded sharply.

The _oni_ sneered and placed his masque back on. "Still curious, even as you approach your death?"

"Very well, since it appears that you have no intention of answering me, then you're no longer needed!" Getsu ducked behind him as he sent a _Meido_ void at the _oni_.

He simply stood where he was with the staff poised vertically in hand, "Sesshomaru, your _Meido_ is unnecessarily large and malformed: you'll never be able to create a complete _Meido_ like I can!" He sent a void at his larger one; both _daiyokai_ perked up alertly as the smaller void ate up his larger one.

"It ate up his void!" The blue-haired female declared in awe before frowning. _Damn it, now we're in trouble_, she thought, reaching for her quiver.

"Sesshomaru!" The _hanyou_ exclaimed from a ledge overhead, signaling the arrival of his pack.

He sent him a steely look. _InuYasha_… His inner demon growled.

"Shishinki!" The flea vassal Myoga exclaimed shrilly, perking her ears.

"Kohaku, take the reins," Korihime instructed, tossing the reins to the boy before leaping down and landing nimbly next to the _hanyou_. "Is that the name of that guy, Myoga?" She asked, looking at the tiny insect demon on his master's shoulder.

"Oi, how'd you get here? I thought you were living with that idiot wolf boy," the aforementioned _hanyou_ asked, looking at her confusedly.

"I'll explain later. Myoga, who is he? Both Getsu and I can tell he's an _oni_, but…" She began.

"Shishinki was an ogre of death who was defeated by Master InuYasha's father many, many years ago! He was a fierce opponent if I recall." The flea explained, perking her ears.

_If he was defeated by the Inu no Taisho then how in hell is he still living? Anyone who was defeated by him died!_ Getsu wondered, glaring at the newly-christened _oni_ Shishinki and gritting her teeth.

_If he's that fierce of a fighter then Sesshomaru might have just bitten off more than he can chew_, Korihime mused grimly, reaching for her quiver and placing an arrow in her bow.

"Is that the old flea, Myoga? I wasn't sure until now, but if you're here too then there can be no mistake!" He swung the staff sharply, sending a void at the _hanyou_.

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_" The flea exclaimed.

"**Move, InuYasha**!" Getsu shouted alertly.

The _hanyou_ and his pack jumped out of the way in time, her sister leaping onto a nearby lower peak and landing expertly; the void created a crater in the rock, slightly surprising the humans plus _hanyou_.

"That's it, you're gonna regret that; **Wind Scar**!" InuYasha snarled, sending a wide torrent of demonic wind at the _oni_.

The dust cleared slowly as he neared where Sesshomaru and Getsu stood, clenching the hilt of the mighty fang.

"So it **is** Tetsusaiga! I'd heard that he had two sons and now here you are: the old man gave Tetsusaiga to his youngest, did he?" Shishinki drawled.

Getsu growled as she felt her mate's aura spike angrily in response to his snide indication towards the reason for his bitterness he'd held against his baby brother for over a century. _Sesshomaru_, she thought, bristling.

This Shishinki was going to die, that much she could promise.

"Oi, Sesshomaru, what the hell's going on here; why're you fighting this guy?" InuYasha asked, glancing over at the two _daiyokai_.

"Sesshomaru, don't you find it strange? Shouldn't the older brother have received Tetsusaiga? Why do you suppose your father left it to him instead?" The _oni_ sneered, knowing he'd hit a huge nerve with the older of the two dog brothers.

Korihime snarled under her breath, loading an arrow into her bow and aiming. _That bastard! He doesn't know how long Sesshomaru has coveted that sword, how many decades he spent trying to find it… How dare he think he can get the jump on a strong _daiyokai_ like my brother-in-law?_ She wondered coldly.

His inner demon snarled angrily as a low growl rumbled in his chest, audible enough to his mate's ears.

A loud '_klang_' rang out, surprising the _hanyou_.

Shishinki glared in slight alarm at the infuriated silver orbs of the _Okami-Daiyokai_, small sparks flying from the clashing of her katana's blade with his staff.

"You run your mouth too much, it's a wonder Inu no Taisho didn't rip that off first when he defeated you. How dare you, a spineless beast that crawled out from the pits of hell, insult my mate so cruelly!?" Getsu snarled, her lilac aura flaring wildly as she slammed her forehead into his and sent him back as she drew back herself, her head spinning slightly before she righted herself and gripped the hilt of her katana, her hand shaking in her anger.

"Getsu," Sesshomaru muttered in a mixture of surprise and annoyance, annoyance at her reckless rushing into fight an enemy that was technically his in the first place, and surprise that she valiantly defended his honor the way she did.

"Y-you stupid whore, this was never your fight to begin with!" Shishinki fired a void at her; she leaped out of the way, hearing it crash into the rocks beyond her before she swung her katana from the left.

A wide torrent of green energy screamed at him, sending him flying as dust rose up into the air from her sharp blow.

Getsu panted slightly and glared at the dust, gripping the hilt of Mangetsuga.

Several voids screamed at her from the dust, surprising her; she perked her ears as she felt her sister's aura spike behind her.

"**Kuro-Fubuki Taiho**!" A wave of black ice shards sailed at the voids, giving her enough time to retreat and fall back to stand between her mate and brother-in-law.

"Idiot, what the hell were you thinking!?" InuYasha barked, scowling at the silver-eyed female.

**_THWACK_**.

"Getsu is **my** mate, if it's anyone who is to scold her for acting so damn brash, it's me: keep your _hanyou_ nose out of this, InuYasha." Sesshomaru growled, cracking his knuckles as his little brother now sported a large bump on his head.

Korihime deadpanned and sighed, dropping from her ledge to move forward. "And you wonder why we never had a brother," she muttered.

Getsu looked at her and smirked, chuckling quietly. "Now I know why."

"**What was that**?" Both Sesshomaru and InuYasha growled in chorus, slowly looking at the two sisters.

"_Nunya._" They replied in unison, sticking their tongues out.

The older of the two brothers rolled his eyes, making a mental note to scold his mate and at least squeeze in a lecture… if her wheedling didn't get in the way, that is.

"Impressive attack; Sesshomaru are you going to let your two spoiled females do the fighting for you? It would surely be a shame to see either one of these two lovely things be caught up in a one-way trip to the underworld." Shishinki drawled as he survived the attack, yanking a particularly large shard from his right arm and tossing it aside.

InuYasha snorted. "Like hell that'll ever happen! I'm not gonna let you kill them, you cheap bastard." He promised coldly, slightly surprising both females.

"InuYasha," the younger of the two said quietly before she smirked gently, looking away.

Her older sister growled and flashed a fang in her grimace, catching the stony look in her mate's gold stare. _Sesshomaru_, she thought.

"Shishinki, you summoned me here to fight, didn't you? Then there's no need for all this idle prattle!" Sesshomaru swung the Tensaiga sharply, sending a large void at him.

He mirrored him and sent a void of his own; the smaller, moon-sized orb ate up his void once again.

_Even if it came down to just hitting him with physical attacks, both Getsu and Korihime could pull it off with speed alone, considering they both have legs built for stamina, but it's too risky to use them both. Getsu would never forgive me if anything happened to Korihime, and I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to Getsu… Damn it_, Sesshomaru thought with an inward growl.

"Sesshomaru, what do you know of your sword: do you have any idea of how Tensaiga was born? It's as I said earlier. Tensaiga looked nothing like it does now: it was in a different form back when I fought your father." InuYasha growled quietly. "That's because the truth is… Tensaiga didn't exist at the time. The sword I fought against was none other than Tetsusaiga." Shishinki explained.

Korihime snarled loudly as it clicked. "That can't be…"

**_Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga were one_**_!_ Getsu widened her eyes alertly before letting a low growl escape her throat. _How dare he sully the respect Sesshomaru had for Inu no Taisho?_ Her inner demon snarled in growing annoyance.

Sesshomaru's thundering growl rang in her ears; she looked over at him and widened her eyes slightly as she could practically feel his anger that laced his flaring demonic aura.

Shishinki sneered. "So you didn't know this? Well let me put it this way, Sesshomaru: Tensaiga was once part of Tetsusaiga…"

"**SILENCE**!" He thundered and swung Tensaiga, sending a void at him only to have it be swallowed up by his countering void.

_I've never seen him this angry!_ The younger she-wolf mused in slight surprise; his angered outburst even made her tremble.

Shishinki sent another void; InuYasha grabbed Korihime by the scruff and yanked her out of the way as Getsu and Sesshomaru dodged in time, both _daiyokai_ landing nimbly infront of the _oni_. "Now then, I assume the old man hadn't perfected _Meido Zangetsuha_ after stealing it from me, its rightful owner. And that's why he cast the technique away from Tetsusaiga, an attack it no longer needed, and gave it to the newly forged Tensaiga."

"So Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga were one in the first place!" Korihime guessed softly, looking at the large fang of the former_. But we know why  
Inu no Taisho gave Tetsusaiga to InuYasha, to control his demon blood he was born with!_ She thought. _Why did he do that…? How could he damage the respect Sesshomaru had for him like this?_

A wave of blue fire screamed at the _oni_, sending him leaping away in time to dodge the attack; both brothers looked at the caster of the fire wave, slightly surprised that she had done as such.

:::::::oOo:::::::

Shishinki glared at the dust that rose up from her attack, perking up as the katana's blade descended sharply onto him, blocking it with his staff in time, the clashing of metal making a shrill cry come from both weapons.

"You've said **enough**. I refuse to allow you to sully the memory of my father-in-law any **FURTHER**!" Getsu roared, grunting and slamming her weight into him, forcing him back roughly.

"Getsu!" InuYasha barked from behind, his beckon falling on deaf ears.

Getsu flicked her wrist and kept her stony silver stare on his violet eye.  
"I don't care what Inu no Taisho did to you, how he wronged you, but I **do** care that you have the gall and insolence to shatter what respect Sesshomaru held for his father! Sesshomaru may have known his father better than InuYasha did, but that didn't mean he didn't respect and honor him. When he passed I had to watch him grieve for his loss just as he had to watch me grieve for my own losses… I don't ever want to see that look on his face again. It hurt too much for me to bear it! The fact that such a vile piece of shit like you has outlived a great demon like Inu no Taisho is a disgrace to his **memory**!"

She thrust her foot into the air, sending a torrent of blue fire screaming at him, twisting on her left heel to send another bout of blue fire at the _oni_, forcing him back with each thrust.

"Onee-chan," Korihime said softly in surprise and awe.

'_I told you she was feeling that, didn't I?_' His inner demon mused; he inwardly growled at it. _You're not helping_… His gold eyes looked at the determination in his mate's silver orbs. _Getsu… I knew you were feeling concern and sympathy for me, when my father passed on, but I didn't know you were hurting too, just as I was hurting. I caused that much pain for you?_ Sesshomaru wondered, feeling like he could kick himself for being like that.

He never wanted to hurt her: she was the reason he had come so far, the reason he didn't feel so alone anymore, and the reason he had to smile… To hurt her like this wasn't like striking her with his sword or hand, but it sure felt close enough to that.

"Do you understand now, Sesshomaru? Tensaiga is an incomplete sword; it cannot perform my technique. What you wield is a part of Tetsusaiga that will never be able to perform a complete _Meido_. **No amount of training will change that**!" Shishinki sent a wide void at both _daiyokai_.

"_Onee-chan!_" Korihime shouted.

"**Wind Scar**!" InuYasha sent another attack at the oncoming void as the female _daiyokai_ leaped to land nimbly next to her mate.

Getsu met his gold eyes and then smiled a little, gripping the hilt of Mangetsuga. "**Wolf's Crescent**!" She swung it sharply to the right.  
Both attacks cancelled out the oncoming void, slightly surprising the second female present.

The dust cleared as Shishinki landed on a higher ledge. "So half-demon, lending a hand to help your older brother are you? Well there's no need to rush into battle; I'll deal with you after I bury Sesshomaru." He sneered.

"**_Over my dead body_**_!_" Getsu thundered frigidly.

An arrow coated in pink ice sailed past her at the _oni_, ripping off his masque and surprising him.

"Don't even think you can get rid of my brother that easily, Shishinki." Korihime snarled lowly, another arrow already in her bow as she moved to stand next to the _hanyou_.

Sesshomaru glanced over at the arrow in her bow that was starting to glow pink from her aura, leaping at Shishinki with his claws drawn.

"Nii-san!" Korihime exclaimed, watching him dodge another void before continuing his onslaught.

Getsu growled irritably and sprinted after him, katana in hand as she shadowed his steps and hopped around the various voids being sent at them.

"This fool is mine, Getsu; fall back." Sesshomaru declared, perking her ears.

"The hell I'm gonna do that! He's pissed off not only you but me too, and Kori! We're pack remember? Anyone that threatens you threatens us too, Sesshomaru. And don't you forget that!" _So long as the voids keep missing, we might just be able to land a blow on him_, she mused.

His gold eyes sharpened at her statement, looking away and forward as they continued to dodge and weave around the voids. _'We're a pack, remember? Anyone that threatens you threatens us too, Sesshomaru.' Damn it all is she stubborn_, he thought, his inner demon humming pleasedly at that one characteristic of his beloved that both he and his inner beast loved most about the spunky female.

"Idiot, move!" She shoved him out of the way of another volley of voids, Mangetsuga drawn as she swung it sharply to the right and blocked the oncoming voids with a wide arc of blue-green energy, the attacks cancelling out and exploding, sending more dust into the air.

"I could've handled it." He grumbled as they continued towards the point where the _oni_ stood.

She pulled on his collar to kiss him hard, surprising him before he kissed back and growled against her lips, making her grin softly and then pull back. "I know you could've, love." She murmured.

His inner demon growled at the simple kiss, aching to take her again just because of that; '_it has been too long since we've heard her howl_', it purred in his ears, making him send an inward snarl back at its lewd words.  
_  
I will see to that later, for now we need to focus on the main issue_, he reminded it, hearing it grumble in defeat.  
_  
Their moves are getting to be predictable; is Sesshomaru dwelling on what he said or is he arguing with his inner demon again? Getsu saved his neck from that one volley of voids, true enough, but still_. Korihime mused, looking at the _hanyou_ as a lightbulb came on. "InuYasha, when you use your Wind Scar again, I'll use my arrow and we'll hit Shishinki with both attacks. Deal?" She suggested, perking his ears.

InuYasha nodded, huffing. "Considering your arrows are just as powerful as Kagome's, it should work. Deal." He replied, seeing her smirk.

Shishinki landed nimbly on the ledge ahead of the two _daiyokai_, brandishing his staff. "You did an effective job of running away from my voids." He drawled.

"I have no intention of running away. "Sesshomaru snapped coldly, his lip curled.

Getsu huffed. "That goes double for me."

"Lord Sesshomaru, please, you must listen to what I have to say; I came because I couldn't stay silent any longer!" The shrill squeaking of Myoga the flea made both _daiyokai_'s ears twitch and they threw looks over at the aforementioned demon that was hopping up and down on the shoulder of his master.

Korihime tilted her head to one side. _What's he got to say now? _She wondered.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you were not sighted; your father bequeathed Tensaiga to you because of who you are! _Meido Zangetsuha_ is an attack that sends your enemies directly to the underworld; it is not a technique that just anyone can use!" Myoga explained.

"That's true, given that your half-breed brother wouldn't be able to withstand the demonic energy from the underworld." Shishinki said thoughtfully.

The aforementioned _hanyou_ huffed indignantly at the blatant insult.

"Knowing that you were a true demon, your father was betting on your strength, Lord Sesshomaru! Y'see, he believed that you would eventually master _Meido Zangetsuha_ and be able to use Tensaiga as it was originally intended to be used! It was for…" The flea continued to hop up and down frantically, earning a sweatdrop from the blue-haired female.

"And you want me to believe that was his reason for casting off Tensaiga from Tetsusaiga? Is that it?" Sesshomaru cut across him sharply, making his brother's white ears twitch.

Both _hanyou_ and flea looked at him in something like confusion.

Shishinki looked thoughtful again, "That is a good question; if his faith in Sesshomaru was so great, couldn't he have bequeathed Tetsusaiga to him along with _Meido Zangetsuha?_ He certainly could have, if he thought that you were promising enough." Getsu growled at his insult, bristling as Sesshomaru's lip curled to reveal a fang.

"W-well you have a point, there…" Myoga grumbled as he scampered to hide in the silver bangs of the _hanyou_, earning a look from both younger siblings present.

"Whimpering parasite, you can't go letting a bastard like him win the argument." Korihime deadpanned.

"At this point I'm starting to doubt him myself…" The flea whimpered.

InuYasha and Korihime deadpanned; Getsu inwardly slapped her forehead. _Now we know why he was entrusted to InuYasha instead of Sesshomaru_, she thought.

"Silence, Myoga." Sesshomaru growled an order, lunging at Shishinki again and narrowly dodging a particular void that ripped off the bottom half of his left sleeve before he made contact with the _oni_ and slammed his fist into his missing eye socket, sending him sprawling. "The secret of Tensaiga isn't meant to be uttered by a mouth as wretched and twisted as yours: every word you speak brings shame to it." He thundered.  
_  
Is he finally using his head?_ Korihime wondered.

"Silence, you insolent brat; I'll make you regret damaging my face! As your father did!" Shishinki swung his staff at him after getting up.

"Nii-san!" Korihime exclaimed as Getsu grunted and sprinted forward.

"Sesshomaru!" InuYasha barked as he ran forward and his Tetsusaiga pulsed before it turned to crystalline.

Sesshomaru snarled at him. "I told you not to interfere!"

"I don't care!" He snapped, firing the Adamant Barrage at the oncoming voids, the shards of adamant being consumed by the voids, before both brothers leaped into the air to dodge the voids.

Getsu perked up alertly as she heard Tensaiga pulse at his hip, noticing Tetsusaiga did the same. _Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga!_ She thought.

Sesshomaru looked down at his katana. "Tensaiga?"  
_  
Something's going to happen; there could be no other reason as to why his heirloom would pulsate like that!_ Korihime deduced, loading an arrow into her bow and sprinting forward to get a better shot. "Sesshomaru draw Tensaiga; something's going to happen! Do it!"

"There's nowhere for you to run now: prepare to be banished to the underworld!" Shishinki began powering up another void in the center of his staff.

"Sesshomaru!" Getsu barked, gripping the hilt of her own heirloom as she neared his side. _Don't be such a prat and just do it! You can sulk later about aiding your brother, just draw Tensaiga! __**PLEASE**__!_ She inwardly prayed, gritting her teeth.

"Are you ready? Now you and your father's swords will spend the rest of eternity in the underworld!" He shouted.

"**_SESSHOMARU_**_!_" Getsu shouted as multiple voids were sent out at the quartet. "**DYING WOLF'S BLOOD**!" She sent a sharp arc of green energy at the voids.

"_Hit the mark!_" Korihime fired the arrow at Shishinki.

"InuYasha!" Kagome exclaimed.

"No, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried.

Sesshomaru drew the pulsing Tensaiga. "Never would I allow my life to be taken by someone like you, Shishinki!" He sent a _Meido_ void flying at him; the void was a complete circle.

"He did it!" Korihime beamed, watching the void eclipse them and swallow up the _oni_ before it disappeared and only left two peaks carved in a curved formation.

"Sesshomaru that was a complete _Meido Zangetsuha_ wasn't it?" His brother wondered as he sheathed Tetsusaiga.

He looked at the Tensaiga to see the glow had disappeared before sheathing it wordlessly.

"Kori, you okay?" Getsu went to her sister's side, sheathing Mangetsuga.

She nodded and slung her bow over her shoulder. "Never better. Although I think someone is kinda bummed." She mused, nodding slightly in the direction of the two talking brothers.

She followed her line of sight and frowned softly, sighing. "'Kind of' is an understatement." She replied, making a mental note to talk with him later.

"Girls, we're going." He announced, perking their ears.

Korihime smiled a little and trotted forward to slug the _hanyou_'s left arm playfully before winking up at him, trotting after her brother-in-law.

Getsu smiled at the group of humans plus _hanyou_ and kitsune, hurrying after her packmates until she walked side-by-side with her sister.

"Wait for us, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken exclaimed as they steered Ah-Un in the direction the _daiyokai_ was leading them.

* * *

A/N: well that was an exciting chapter.

now the chap after the next (preferably in chap.39) i'm going to mesh both eps 15 and 17 together considering there's two vital points in those episodes that concern everyone's favorite fluffy _inu-daiyokai_~. /gets bricked anywho, just a head's up so until next chap, see ya! ^^ reviews aren't mandatory but they make me feel good so please review if y'like~!


	38. Angelus

A/N: things left off on a bittersweet ending in the previous chap. will things be righted? and will he get the answers he needs? enjoy!  
(also, **2500 views**! whew thanks you guys~ srsly that makes me feel good as a writer xD)

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 38: Angelus**_

The girl looked over her shoulder at the direction their leader had gone. "Kori-onee, is Lord Sesshomaru going to be okay? He looked really angry about earlier…" Her innocent brown eyes looked up at her babysitter that sat next to her facing the small fire, warming her palms.

"I think so. Getsu went to go talk with him, so hopefully that works. Y'know how he is; he'll bounce back from this! He's not a strong demon for nothing." Her babysitter assured gently, smiling at her.

She nodded and smiled lightly. "Yeah, you're right!"

She smiled gently, tousling her brown hair affectionately and looking down at the embers of the fire.  
_He will bounce back from this, won't he?_ She couldn't help but wonder.

::::::::tTt:::::::::

His ears twitched as he heard her coming forward from behind. "Shouldn't you be helping Kori put Rin to bed?"

She didn't answer, instead shuffling to sit next to his right on the small hillside that looked up at the full moon above them; his ears twitched again when she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You're still angry about earlier; I can smell it a mile away." She finally replied, her voice soft.

He huffed and hunched his shoulders, gold eyes on the millions of stars that dotted the velvet sky. "Can you blame me?"

She shook her head softly. "No, guess I can't." She sighed and pressed her cheek to the soft fur of his stole. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." He mumbled, a term he picked up from her "vocabulary".

She ran her claws through the fur, looking up at his gold eyes. "Don't shoulder this on your own. Even if you think you can because of your strength, at least let me be there to help you carry such a burden. Promise me that, Sesshomaru." She pleaded softly, seeing surprise swim in his stare before it was replaced with something she could only assume was sadness, a side to him she hated to see.

He nodded slightly, looking at her hand and taking it in his, squeezing. "I once promised to protect you and stay at your side, long ago. But I'll take on another promise, so long as you don't leave my side." He replied in the same tone.

She smiled and nodded, leaning up to pull on his collar and kiss him a little gentler than she had earlier in battle.

He released her hand to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her onto him, pressing his mouth to hers hard and growling irritably when she released his mouth to crawl onto his lap and hold him; he perked up in slight surprise that she had chosen to hold onto him instead of be kissed senseless, relaxing and burying his face into her neck as her arms hooked around his neck and her fingers combed through his silver hair.

"I must apologize for what I didn't do, back then." He admitted quietly after several moments of silence, perking her ears.

She opened an eye at his enigmatic words, running her claws through his straight locks idly and glancing at him. "For what?"

"What you said earlier today, that you were in pain because I was grieving the loss of my father… I had no idea you were in that much pain. I felt like a complete fool for not once thinking that my pain was yours as well." Sesshomaru explained.

Getsu blushed slightly and shrugged, pulling back a little to rock on her heels and look into his gold stare. "Don't beat yourself up over that, it's in the past. You survived it didn't you? Just as I survived my own losses regarding my parents." She lowered her gaze to the glints of moonlight bouncing off his armor and smiled softly.

"That's not the point, Getsu." He declared, perking her ears again.

She tilted her head to one side, keeping her arms folded on the back of his neck. "So what **is** the point, then?"

He exhaled and kissed the crown of her head, bumping his forehead against hers gently as their eyes met again. "The point is that I hurt you, the woman I chose to be my mate and bride, my companion. I never want to hurt you, Getsu, and it's worse than when we almost lost Rin for good to hear that I hurt you like that, so many years ago." He smiled a little when her cheeks flared that shade of reddish pink he loved most, stroking her cheek marred with the violet crescent birthmark.

She looked down and shrugged again. "We both survived it, and we've survived worser things than grieving to get to this point in our lives. I don't blame you for anything bad that's happened, okay? I never have. I love you too much to be so selfish like that." She admitted.

He smiled again at hearing her declaration, kissing her. "I love you too. Even though I had half a right mind to completely forbid you from fighting earlier with that… bastard." He growled under his breath.

Getsu blushed and then chuckled, kissing back as she stroked his cheek. "I know you're still bummed about that. You never could hide your anger very well around me." She reminded gently, seeing him pout.

Sesshomaru growled again, this time in annoyance at his supposedly-perfected blank face skills, making her giggle. "Don't patronize me."

She smiled cheekily, tugging on his collar and kissing him lovingly; he blinked in slight surprise before he smiled and held onto her hips with his arm, kissing her deeply and feeling her arch her back as he ran his claws down her spine to her hips.

"You always had the knack for bewitching me," he grumbled against her lips, letting her pull back again to look at him curiously; he smirked at how cute she looked when she cocked her head like a puppy.

"I did huh?" She wondered, surprised by this newest bit of information; since when was she considered a witch?

He nodded, kissing her again before kissing a trail down her neck. "Even before you were uprooted by Naraku our… "debates" always left me the slightest bit aroused, aside from feeling frustrated with your bull-headed stubbornness." He smiled cheekily when she blushed a darker shade of reddish pink.

She pouted and made to spout a rebuttal when he sank his teeth into her throat, marking her and making her mewl. "Y-you're so not fair, biting me when I was going to respond to that comment." She breathed a scolding.

Sesshomaru chuckled and took a few long torturous seconds to lick her mark clean, making her tremble and dig her claws into his back with a soft growl humming in her chest, before he pulled back to look at her innocently. "I have no idea what you're talking about, **darling**." He smirked cheekily again as he put emphasis on the petname she often used on him when being playful.

Getsu growled and pushed him onto his back, pinning him with flustered and annoyed eyes bearing down onto his gold stare that didn't seem unperturbed by her pounce. "The fuck you don't." She rebutted, blushing and swallowing a yelp when he cupped one of her breasts, fondling the small mound in his hand.

He looked completely at ease despite the curses and beet-red blush on the face of his mate. "Such foul language," he teased calmly, gold eyes glancing up at her silver stare and looking smug and pleased as he rolled the nipple between his index and middle finger, oblivious to her growls and whimpers.

"S-Sesshomaru…!" She whined his name, sighing when he let go of her breast to then move to the second one, making her yelp and claw into his shoulders on reflex. "S-Sesshomaru, please," she moaned softly.

His inner demon hummed pleasedly inside him at hearing her moan at last. '_Good girl_,' it growled.  
_Yes really, good girl_, he mused with another pleased smirk.

* * *

The welder blanched at the large chunk "eaten" from the side of his home cut in a curved arc. "M-my home…"

"Great moon…" She deadpanned and slapped her forehead. _Was that necessary…?_ She wondered, throwing a glance over at her mate and making a mental note to whack him later for scaring the shit out of the old sod.

"Did you really think you could escape, Totosai?" He growled, gripping the hilt of Tensaiga out of reflex.

He squinted his eyes in slight suspicion. "No… I was wondering when you'd show up."

_You're not going to let that go, are you..?_ She wondered with a patient sigh.

He huffed.

::::::::sSs:::::::::

"I'll sing one about you instead…!" She chirped.

**_THWACK_**.

"Maybe a song about how flat he's going to look when I'm done braining him." Her babysitter cracked her knuckles and folded her arms at her chest, ignoring the large bump swelling on the imp's head.

"See Master Jaken? Kori-onee likes my songs! You're just being a… um, Kori-onee, what was that word you told me the other day?" She asked confusedly.

She sighed. "'Critic', Rin." She replied calmly.

"Yeah that's what it was, a 'critic'!" She smiled brightly.

Her ears twitched as she noticed the boy's head was turned to the side, eyes scanning the forest around them on alert.

"Kohaku, what is it…?" She began to ask before a familiar stink assailed her nose; her eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Kohaku…? Kori-onee?" Rin asked as her babysitter bristled visibly and growled.

Kohaku jumped to his feet. "Run for it, all three of you…!"

"**It's been a while, Kohaku**." A drawling voice sounded behind him.

Korihime perked up alertly. "_Fuck_." She hissed.

* * *

"Well, Totosai, you've known about this all along, haven't you?" Sesshomaru drawled in a knowing tone.

Totosai seemed brazen today. "Of course I did; after all, I was the one who separated Tensaiga from Tetsusaiga and forged it into a weapon many years ago, Sesshomaru. What're you gonna do about it; kill me?"

"Bad move," Getsu mumbled with another slap to her forehead as he lifted the blade as if he was actually going to do it (which, knowing Sesshomaru and his… patience issues, he most likely would, therein fueling her reason for accompanying him to visit the bold welder that would soon die by his own creation if he didn't shut up now).

"Hold it! Let me take a wild guess, you met Shishinki right? Look here, I don't know what kind of nonsense that troublemaker Shishinki said to you, but you were able to master _Meido Zangetsuha_, right? Your father was correct in judging that you would be able to do so… you've lived up to his every expectation." He explained quickly.

_Well that's comforting, albeit only a little_, she mused.

He returned Tensaiga to its scabbard albeit reluctantly, a relief on both his mate and the aged welder, keeping the stern scowl on his fair brow. "Do you honestly believe that I don't know what the next step in the process is, Totosai?"

"Next step?" His eyes squinted again.

_If you're not gonna kill him, at least try and be nice_, she thought, throwing him a look and knowing that was the most vain thing she could ever hope for in her lifetime. If she knew him, and at this point in time she did, Sesshomaru was anything but "nice" when it came to Totosai.

:::::::::wWw:::::::::

A thundering growl rang out from her as she threw an icy dagger at the _hanyou_.

He dodged it effortlessly, looking over at her and smirking. "Oh, Princess Korihime. I'm surprised to see you here. Where's that pathetic dog you mated with? Cowering in a hole no doubt?" He sneered, seeing her aura flare as she gripped the handle of another dagger in her hand.

She bristled angrily, blue eyes dangerous. "He's none of your concern anymore, right? Leave Koga out of this." She growled.

"Kori-onee," the girl began softly behind her before she extended her free arm to block any harm from coming to her pup, her brown orbs looking up at the she-wolf's icy glare intended for the vile half-breed present.

"Either way, I'll deal with you later. Kikyo isn't protecting your shard anymore, and this pathetic brat princess can't do anything other than bark, so the shard is mine now." Naraku sneered again, extending his hand to take the shard from the boy's neck.

Kohaku reacted mostly on instinct, severing his hand with his sickle and briefly surprising the _hanyou_.

"Kohaku, run; **go**!" Korihime snapped at him, watching tree branches spout from his wrist before she threw the second dagger at him.

He cackled as the branches reached the boy that tripped, preparing to take his shard as the boy flinched.

"**No**!" She snarled, perking up as sparks flew when the branches made contact with the shard, watching ropes of blue fire race along the branches and consume the _hanyou_, surprising him as well as herself.

_The fire… it's from Kikyo's purity! That was her last wish, wasn't it? To protect the shard!_ She thought.

"Kohaku, hurry!" Rin exclaimed as Korihime shook her head and spared the flame-encased _hanyou_ one final look before following the boy, leaping onto the saddle and helping him and Rin onto it, grabbing the reins.

"Ah-Un, let's bolt!" Korihime ordered as she snapped the reins.

The dragon groaned a response before they took off into the clear sky.

"Kohaku, are you okay?" Rin asked worriedly, looking at her friend.

He nodded, "I'm fine now. Thanks Korihime, for trying to stall." He replied, looking at the driver.

She shrugged and smiled at him. "You're welcome." She stared ahead into the blue heavens. _Kikyo, let's hope your last wish will work just a little bit longer!_ She thought.

:::::::::rRr:::::::::

"Tetsusaiga has the ability of stealing techniques from its foes; Tensaiga, on the other hand, has no such ability. Both of us know Father's true intention from the beginning was for me to perfect _Meido Zangetsuha_ but only so that Tensaiga could be absorbed back into Tetsusaiga… that's the truth of it, isn't it?" Sesshomaru explained coolly, perking her ears.

_He figured all that out? Well I'll be damned, he beat my hypothesis by a hair's breadth_, she mused.

"Ah wow, I'm impressed!" Totosai said in mock surprise, ignoring the deadpan expression on the she-wolf's pretty face. "You figured that out all on your own, huh; well, you're exactly right! Are you disappointed?"

"I'd be more disappointed if Tetsusaiga could actually cut me down… but that'll never happen!" He lifted Tensaiga again.

"Whoa there!" He slammed his hammer down, creating a ring of fire around the two _daiyokai_.

He scowled at the flames, scanning the area beyond them for any sign of the crafty old man.

"Hey, Sesshomaru," the aforementioned sod declared in a sing-song voice that automatically irritated him and got on his remaining nerves. "Why do you think your father set up your swords this way in the first place, huh? Do you really believe he favored InuYasha and left you with the short end of the stick, figuratively-speaking? Either way, your thoughts are too clouded right now to see the truth: as long as you remain so narrowly-focused on the heirloom Tetsusaiga, you will never understand your father's long-term plan!"

She took a step closer to the flames and flicked her left wrist, dousing them instantly and leaving nothing but a ring of smoke in their wake; she looked over at him and winked, smiling; he made a face and sheathed Tensaiga reluctantly.

"Sesshomaru, abandon these attachments; abandon your attachment to the sword as well as your hatred towards InuYasha: once you do, you may very well surpass your father!" Totosai exclaimed, perking her ears.

Getsu tilted her head to one side after soaking in his words. _Closure?_ She wondered.

"We're going." Sesshomaru growled, turning on his heel to walk away.

She bowed slightly to the welder's invisible form. "Thanks for your help, Totosai; see ya!" She smiled a little before following him.

He grumbled when she caught up to him, making her ears twitch.

She sighed and folded her arms behind her head. "You're sulking again." She pointed out.

He blinked and then snorted, cutting his gaze to the side. "I am **not** sulking." He growled.

Getsu opened one silver eye up at him. "The hell you're not; it's clearly all over your face, love." He shot her a look which she blissfully ignored, making his brow twitch annoyedly, before she exhaled and stopped to look up at him. "Just don't dwell too much on it, okay? For me?" She pleaded, sticking her lower lip out as her eyes turned big and hopeful.

Sesshomaru stared at her cute expression a moment longer before growling and slapping his forehead. "I hate it when you do that…" He groaned as his hand slid down his handsome face, a pout on his lips.

She giggled and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him sweetly. "Get used to it, dearest." She purred and kissed his nose, making him wrinkle it before letting go to hop into the air with ease, hovering infront of him. "C'mon, let's get moving." She declared lightly.

He rolled his eyes and then exhaled, hopping up and making to snatch her waist with his arm before she danced away and floated higher with a grin; he couldn't help but chuckle at her playful demeanor, chasing her until he had his arm wrapped around her waist and his nose buried in her neck.

"Still not fair!" She wheedled, mewling when he bit her teasingly, nuzzling her neck afterward.

"Hush," he crooned, kissing her neck gently before letting go to take her hand and leap higher until they were airborne. "The sooner we get back the better, at least before Kori kills Jaken and turns him into fried toad." He joked.

She laughed at the mental image.

::::::::lLl:::::::::

"What does Naraku intend to do!?" The imp wondered.

"Kohaku, take the reins!" She ordered as she tossed the imp between him and the girl, unloading an arrow from her quiver and aiming it at the oncoming limbs as the arrow soon glowed pink. _Here goes nothing!_ She fired.

The arrow missed, making her swear loudly, before the stinger limbs sailed at them and tried to get at the boy.  
"Shit!" She snarled.

"Fly lower!" He barked as the dragon obeyed and flew closer to the ground.

_That bastard, he intends to cut his head off and defile the shard! He's not doing it on my watch!_ She thought, growling as they continued to outfly the limbs; her eyes widened as she caught the scent of _hanyou_, along with the familiar scent of a priestess. _InuYasha!_ She smiled in relief, steadying her footing on the dragon's back and throwing her head back to release a loud howl of aid.

"Kori-onee, what're you doing?" Rin asked alertly.

"InuYasha's nearby, I can smell his scent." Korihime replied, dodging a stray limb before sending an ice dagger at it, missing. _Damn it!_

:::::::oOo::::::::

Getsu's eyes widened alertly and she skidded to a halt.

Sesshomaru looked at her curiously, faintly hearing a howl sound in the distance. "What is it?"

She bristled and then growled. "Korihime, she's in trouble. Come on!" She barked, forcing her demonic power to kick in a bit more to give her speed as she flew ahead of him.

He followed quickly until he was at her side again.

_Korihime, hang in there; I'm coming!_ She thought.

* * *

"Kohaku," the girl said in worry as her babysitter shielded her from any harm, her brown eyes on her friend.

He cackled. "Are you scared, Kohaku: are you scared that I'll control you again and make you harm that girl?"

She growled angrily and watched his silhouette make its way through the miasma. "Rin, stay behind me. If I tell you to run, run. Okay?" She instructed.

"B-but, Kori-onee!" She began.

"Do as I say, please Rin." She pleaded gently, glaring at the half-breed. _I can't let Rin get hurt, I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to her! Aside from the fact that Sesshomaru would send me on a one-way to the underworld in shreds if Rin gets killed_, she thought with a low growl in her throat.

"It's alright, Kohaku; you won't have to fear anymore when I'm done with you." Naraku promised coldly.

Korihime aimed an arrow at him, bristling like mad as the boy lifted the blade of his sickle to his neck. "Don't listen to him, Kohaku! I promised Getsu that I would look after you and Rin while they were gone, so don't even think about taking your life! Suicide isn't worth it!" She snapped, baring her teeth at the cackling _hanyou_.

"How quaint, sticking up for him as if he's your little brother. Where **is** your delightful sister anyway, Korihime? You know I love watching her fight, dancing in the heat of battle so to speak. She's truly a special girl, having been blessed with your father's ruthless power, and of course a perfect body any man would kill for…" He drawled, grinning malevolently at the thought of consuming the aforementioned _daiyokai_.

"You will not lay a hand on my sister! Besides, she's taken so stop sniffing around, you pathetic fuck." She thundered coldly, her claws growing.

A loud yowl sounded before Kirara appeared with Sango on her back, a large paw punting the sickle from his hands and sending him sprawling, the same paw keeping the weapon away from the boy.

"Kohaku!" Sango declared in relief.

"Sister, it's you!" Kohaku replied in kind.

Korihime sighed in relief, smiling at the demon slayer. "Geez am I ever glad to see you here." She declared, seeing the woman nod slightly.

"Likewise; thanks for protecting Kohaku, Korihime." Sango replied.

She shrugged. "Wasn't much."

"Sango, why not honor your brother and kill him now so that he may rest in peace?" Naraku drawled, making both females look at him.

"Don't be ridiculous!" She spat.

"Don't you understand, Sango? Death is a way to save your brother from his torment." He reasoned.

She huffed and aimed the arrow again. "Death doesn't get you anywhere, or haven't you realized that? You never died so of course you wouldn't believe such a thing!" She growled.

_Onee-chan, please hurry!_ She thought.

::::::::xXx::::::::

"It's a pain in the ass when he wanders off, isn't it?" He snapped.

Both girls deadpanned.  
"InuYasha, sit." She sighed.

**_WHAM_**. "G-Gack!"

She rolled her eyes, poking at him with her bow. "So blunt; it's a wonder you haven't gained a few concussions with as many sit commands as you get." She mused, hearing him growl curses at her from his face-plant into the ground.

"That reminds me, Kori-chan, why were you guys alone? I thought Getsu-onee and Sesshomaru were with you." The kitsune asked from his spot in her lap, looking up at her blue eyes.

She blinked at his question and then smiled sheepishly, ignoring the two sets of eyes on her. "Well, Sesshomaru was kind of bummed about the whole Tensaiga issue, so he went to pay a visit to Totosai, and Getsu went with him to keep the peace… I mean, you lot have seen this _baka-inu_'s temper, imagine that like five times worse and with the ability to completely mask his emotions from the majority of the world." She explained.

Both girls blinked before shuddering.

"That's scary… It's a wonder you and your sister have travelled with him for so long." Sango offered.

Korihime shrugged innocently as the _hanyou_ sat up and rubbed dirt from his face with a pout, making her giggle. "We're used to it at this point. Besides, Getsu's temper is pretty scary too, and I guess mine is, but I doubt it's as bad as theirs…"

InuYasha snorted derisively. "**Bullshit**! Yours is fuggin' scary!" He guffawed.

**_THWACK_**.

"Such language! There are_ virgin ears_ present, and I would appreciate if they were kept _virgin_ for as long as possible, _baka-hanyou_." She cracked her knuckles, eyes closed serenely to the large bump that swelled on his head.

"See what I mean!? She's worse than Sesshomaru!" He barked.

**_FWHAM_**.

"Sheesh, I shoulda stuck around you guys more; I woulda had this one housebroken and well-tempered by now." Korihime declared with a sigh as she rubbed the sole of her boot into the _hanyou_'s head after she'd drop-kicked him with ease, smoke rising from his head where she'd hit him.

Shippo had tears of laughter in his eyes as he was cracking up from seeing his favorite friend being beat on by a girl; Rin giggled; Kohaku sweatdropped at the sight; Kagome and Sango deadpanned.

* * *

A/N: hopefully i executed episode 14 well in this chapter.. until next chap see ya!


	39. Heirs, Heiresses, Heirlooms

A/N: okay here's the chap i mentioned i was going to mesh eps 15 and 17 in of **InuYasha: Kanketsu-hen (Final Act)**! action, love and honor will take part in this chap so i'll shut up now and let you read. enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 39: Heirs, Heiresses, Heirlooms_**

Shippo deadpanned. "InuYasha, why do you always have to be such a bully?"

"Hey you're getting taller already, Jaken!" InuYasha beamed as he continued to stretch the imp like a piece of elastic.

**_THWACK_**.

"G-geh!"

"What in hell are you doing to him..? If anyone is gonna give that idiot frog a beating, it's gonna be either Sesshomaru, myself or Kori-chan." Getsu sighed as she planted her foot on the _hanyou_'s head, squishing his ear between her left big toe and index toe and tugging on it absently, deadpanning.

"Getsu-onee!" Rin beamed at the sight of the older female wolf, making her ears twitch; she looked over at her and winked.

Korihime sweatdropped and exhaled, hopping to her feet and walking over to her sister. "So how was the honeymoon?" She wondered, smirking a little.

Getsu blinked and then huffed, rolling her eyes. "Don't start. Hey, what happened to you guys? I heard your howl, but we didn't get here fast enough. Sorry." She asked, elbowing her.

"Oh, that. Um, funny thing…" Korihime rubbed her neck.

InuYasha shoved off the _daiyokai_ huffing and glaring up at her. "What the hell was that for!?" He barked.

She poked his forehead with her big toe, earning a growl from him. "Would you rather I make you eat dirt without using your hands or have Kagome use the 'sit' command?" She deadpanned.

He winced at the reminder and possible threat, scowling at her with his ears flicking. "Neither!"

"So if you're here, then where's your better half?" Her sister asked with a tilt of her head.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" The girl's exclamation gave her the answer; she looked at the trees beyond them to see the aforementioned _daiyokai_ walking forward.

_Never mind_, she thought with a sweatdrop.

Her mind recalled the 'pit-stop' on their way back to their group, the snide look in that effeminate incarnation's dolled-up face as he explained the reason as to why Sesshomaru now held a piece of Kanna's mirror in his possession; she bristled out of reflex at the memory and inwardly growled.

Korihime perked up when he drew Tensaiga. _What's he planning…?_ She wondered, looking at the clueless expression on his baby brother's face.

"Draw, InuYasha." Sesshomaru ordered, further deepening the clueless and now annoyed expression he had.

InuYasha blinked. "Sesshomaru, what's going on..? Have you lost your mind?"

"I said '**draw**', _baka-hanyou_." He snapped coldly, baring Tensaiga in silent emphasis that he wasn't present for just a chat with his baby brother.

Her blue eyes sharpened as it clicked. "You're not serious… Getsu," she looked at her sister to see she had a poker-face expression on her pretty face, her silver eyes looking away from her imploring blue orbs and resting on the stern look her mate harbored.

He flicked his wrist and sent a void at the _hanyou_, forcing him to leap back with a flailing Jaken in his hand before he dropped him at last and drew Tetsusaiga. "Fine, have it your way, you jackass bastard." He growled.

"Nii-san, what the hell are you doing?" She demanded sharply of her brother-in-law, scowling at him.

"This has nothing to do with you, Kori. Stay out of it." He silenced her, perking her ears.

She bristled. "Like hell I'm just gonna stand by and…" She made to stomp over to him to give him a piece of her mind before her sister's right arm extended to block her from moving, surprising her; her blue eyes looked at the stern light that glinted in her silver orbs. "Onee-chan?"

"This isn't something you or I have a say in, Korihime. That goes double for you guys too." Getsu looked at his gold eyes that were for his younger brother's likewise gold scowl. "Don't overdo it." She added, her voice softened when addressing her male counterpart.

He nodded slightly. "This won't take long." He promised calmly, ignoring the eye-roll and knowing smile he gained from her.

Both sisters watched the Tensaiga take on a bright light that blindsided the _hanyou_, glowing around the heirloom fang in his clawed hand.

"Take this; **Wind Scar**!" He swung the mightier of the two fangs down before nothing happened, making him blanch in surprise and slight horror.

Tensaiga's form shifted until it was a mirror image of the Tetsusaiga, surprising everyone else gathered (save Getsu).  
_So that's what he meant when he gave him the mirror piece_, she thought.

"_**Wind Scar**__!_" Sesshomaru slammed the blade down, sending a torrent of demon wind at his half-breed brother.

"What the hell's going on Sesshomaru!? And why can I smell Naraku's stench on your blade?" InuYasha demanded indignantly, baring the original Tetsusaiga defensively.

"Actually, that would be my scent." The effeminate demon Byakuya declared as he hovered overhead, observing the prologue of the battle safely sitting on one of his large origami cranes.

"Byakuya of the Dreams." Korihime growled, flexing her claws and glaring up at the cobalt-haired incarnation. "I thought I smelled your stench." She spat.

"Princess Korihime, it's been a while." Byakuya flashed a smile, the expression being met with a low curse and flashing of sharp fangs in threat. "I passed along a fragment of Kanna's mirror to Lord Sesshomaru; I hope you don't mind." He said lightly.

"So that explains things… You knew about this." She looked at her sister.

She nodded a little, keeping her eyes on the two brothers before them. "If anything happens to him, you realize the deal's off, don't you? I'll rip you to pieces with my bare claws, Byakuya of the Dreams. Remember that." She added to the incarnation, throwing him a stony glare.

He lifted his hands in surrender, feigning innocence. "Such scary words to go along with a scary face! But I will keep that in mind, my lovely lady." He winked, seeing her snort and look away annoyedly.

"But Lord Sesshomaru, **why**!?" Rin cried out, steering her attention away from the two brothers and to her confused and surprised brown eyes. Her inner demon hummed softly at the expression on the girl she had practically helped raise for four years; '_Rin_', it grumbled. "While you were gone, Naraku tried to kill Kohaku and take his shard! He's evil; don't listen to anything he says!" She exclaimed.

Getsu's eyes widened slightly and she looked at her sister to see a dark light had entered her blue orbs. "Kori-chan," she murmured softly before looking away and feeling like such a moron. _Damn it, now we've done it_, she thought with a growl.

"Everyone's got an opinion! Let's go somewhere where there's no interruption, shall we?" Byakuya sighed, pulling out a_ sake_ gourd from his collar and spraying a circumference of alcohol around the brothers, baffling the younger of the two, before the alcohol spouted fumes and the circumference formed into a circle before it shifted to look like a moon and lifted higher into the air.

"The moon?" Korihime wondered in surprise before the moon grew smaller and disappeared. "Nii-san!" She barked.

"Sesshomaru!" Getsu began alertly before she growled again and glared up at Byakuya, watching Sango throw her Hiraikotsu up at him before he disappeared. "Damn it." She muttered, gritting her teeth.

"Why would Lord Sesshomaru work with Naraku?" Kohaku wondered more to himself.

Korihime looked at her sister. "Onee-chan, you knew about this; why did you just stand there and do nothing?" She demanded annoyedly, a scowl forming on her brow.

Getsu glanced at the confused and slightly angered expressions that the trio of humans harbored before looking at her blue stare.

"You know as well as I that Sesshomaru is too stubborn for his own good. Besides, Sesshomaru, even though he knew this was another ploy of Naraku's to force him and InuYasha to kill each other, he took the bait based on his own curiosity to see which of them was the true heir of Tetsusaiga, him or InuYasha… He's doing this to get **closure**, Korihime. Who am I to keep him from finally finding peace with a matter that has plagued him for over a century?" She shrugged a little and smiled weakly.

"Onee-chan…" She looked at the crater the 'moon' had left, her brow furrowing. "What if he gets killed doing this? What if **InuYasha** gets killed? Did either of you two geniuses think about that?" She asked with a growl, looking at her sister sharply with hard blue eyes that made her look so much like their mother.

She fought a wince at the reminder and looked up at the sky, sighing.

"Sesshomaru is too powerful to get killed by something like this. InuYasha may be the hopeless idiot mutt that he is, but he's got his strengths too. Don't worry so much, Kori." She assured quietly, her hands at her sides balling into fists to inwardly assure herself as well.

::::::xXx::::::

"InuYasha!" Her sister sprinted past her to the collapsed _hanyou_'s side.

He watched both females rush to his aid and sort of huffed, his ears twitching when he felt his mate's stare on him; he sighed. "If you're going to lecture…"

"**You IDIOT**!" She pounced him and threw her arms around his neck, making him sort of yelp and teeter backward before his arm wrapped around her waist and he steadied his footing, righting the both of them.

"Getsu," he began at seeing her cheek buried into his chest and feeling her arms tighten around his waist.

"You're such a fool! You scared me half to death when you went on the pathway to the underworld… I was afraid I'd lost you! You're the biggest idiot prat I've ever met!" She exclaimed, closing her eyes tightly and pressing her cheek closer to his heart.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened a little before they calmed and he smiled at hearing her familiar scolding, his arm on her waist squeezing affectionately as he nuzzled the side of her head. "I missed you, too." He replied.

Getsu blushed and dug her fingers into his sash, feeling him land a kiss on her head. "I'm glad you're alright." She admitted quietly.

Her inner demon purred at being in his grip once again, a place she had found was one of the safest places to be.

His own inner demon was doing the same and for once he didn't mind hearing the content sound coming from said beast.

"Sesshomaru, are you able to accept what has happened?" The old welder Totosai asked, jerking him from his thoughts as both he and his mate looked at him, noting the girl and imp were present as well.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I'm literally sick with grief…!" The imp blubbered before a hand patted his head and his sister-in-law came into view, her arms folded over her chest.

"We don't need the waterworks, Jaken. But honestly, that was just about the most idiotic thing you've done, y'know." Korihime mused, meeting his gold eyes and letting her shoulders slump after holding his stare for a moment, her face softening. "I'm glad that you're okay, though. Both you and InuYasha." She glanced over at the weary half-breed and smirked.

Sesshomaru nodded to her, throwing a look at the imp with fat tears in his eyes. "Regardless, I don't care. We're leaving, girls." He answered Totosai finally, turning to leave.

Jaken and Rin blinked at his sudden exit; Getsu rolled her eyes and waved absently at the humans before following until she was at his side again.

"Wait a moment, Sesshomaru." Both _daiyokai_ paused at the request of the old sod. "Although you may find little consolation in it now, I'd suggest you take it; it fell from the path to the underworld." Getsu looked over at the form of Tensaiga, now a simple katana, sticking up from the ground hilt-up. "You may not be happy with a sword that can't cut, but Tensaiga remains powerful because it can still heal." He stated.

He snorted and turned away. "What's your point: am I supposed to take it and go around healing people now? Don't be ridiculous." He said dismissively, taking her hand and walking away from the welder.

"H-hey!" Totosai stammered before the younger she-wolf lifted it from the ground and smiled lightly.

Korihime looked over at her brother-in-law before nodding. "He'll cool down and I'll give it to him when he does. See ya around." She promised, trotting after the two _daiyokai_ with Rin and Jaken at her heels.

Kohaku bid his sister farewell before hurrying after the group.

"Sesshomaru, are you really gonna be okay? I mean, you did break Tensaiga on purpose back there…" Getsu looked at him concernedly.

"Don't worry so much. Even before inheriting Tensaiga, I was strong and without Tensaiga it shouldn't make much of a difference." Sesshomaru interjected calmly, perking her ears; she looked away and sighed, rubbing her neck.

_I suppose he's right_, she thought.

"Besides, I have to be strong, remember? Keeping you two heckling hens on a leash is hard work." He added with a look at her slightly confused silver orbs before he smirked gently in teasing.

She huffed and punched his arm reproachfully, pouting. "Piss off, _baka-inu_." She growled.

He chuckled and released her hand to fold his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Your faith in my abilities ceases to amaze me, princess." He purred in her ear.

She snorted and blushed. "Shut up." _Well, at least he's still his old self; and that's one thing about him I'm glad for_.

* * *

Both sisters deadpanned.

The two ogre-looking demons towered over them, particularly over the silver-haired _daiyokai _in the lead.

"Good grief…" The blue-haired female muttered, shrugging her longbow into her hands as her sister flexed her claws.

'_And once you're gone the boy's shard will be ours_…'

A wide jet of blue fire sailed at the brown demon, burning his head off effortlessly; he glanced over his shoulder at the source of the fire blast, seeing her silver eyes were stoic as she flicked her wrist.

"Simple-minded beasts, thinking you can just waltz in and try to take the life of my mate… You make me sick." She spirited past him and leaped into the air, twisting on her heel and sending a wide torrent of blue fire from her right foot at the face of the second demon, her left fist flying to send a second jet of fire at the felled beast.

The second demon fell with a loud '_thud_', his remains fading into the air just as his companion's had.

"That was amazing, Getsu-onee!" The girl chirped as the aforementioned _daiyokai_ landed nimbly on one foot, straightening to her feet and cracking her knuckles as she spat at the place where the two demons had fallen.

She shrugged. "They were easy. I'd have been more impressed if they weren't so damn cocky." She replied calmly, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono and moving to her mate's side.

"You made slaying them look like child's play." He mused, smirking a little.

Even though he could take care of any pest demons that crossed their path hell-bent on getting the last shard of the Shikon no Tama, it was at both Getsu and Korihime's insistence that they handle any 'nuisances' that came across their pack instead of him. This bothered him because they were forcing him to stay on the sidelines, but it was either retaliate and get beaten into a coma with just their fists, or listen to their advice and just watch.

Being the more intelligent _inu_ between himself and his brother, he chose the latter.

::::::oOo:::::::

Thunder growled loudly overhead as the clouds gathered quickly to block out the bleak sunlight.

"Is something the matter, Lord Sesshomaru?" The imp dared ask as they stopped again.  
A soft growl came from the youngest of the _yokai_ trio, her blue eyes on the clouds overhead. _Something's coming, and its stink reeks of pure evil_, she thought, flexing her claws.

"Stand aside." He answered the imp at last.

She glanced back at her sister. "Kori, stay close to Kohaku and Rin." She instructed.

"Right." She nodded.

A bolt of violet lightning shot down from the dark clouds overhead, surprising the "lesser" members of their pack, before the dust cleared from where the bolt hit and revealed a pale-skinned demon wearing green and lilac garb; his beady red eyes stared at the trio of _yokai_ that stood before him.

Her silver eyes narrowed when seeing three large jagged claws sticking up from his right arm; she bristled and flexed her claws.

"Another incarnation?" He wondered aloud.

The stranger said nothing in response and instead lifted his right arm, sending the claws at the boy's footing and spooking him, the girl, imp and the younger she-wolf.

"Bastard!" She spat, an ice dagger forming in her hand before she flicked her wrist and threw it at him; he sidestepped it as she helped the boy onto the dragon's back. "Onee-chan, what is he?" She asked, hopping onto the dragon with the boy as the girl steered the dragon up into the sky.

"Got me." _Whatever he is, he reeks of both pure evil and Naraku's stink… is he another incarnation like Sesshomaru said? Or is he something else…?_ She wondered, glaring at the strange demon.

The clawed arm retracted and his red eyes glanced up at the boy before it shot up at the dragon.

"No!" Getsu exclaimed before Sesshomaru leaped at the arm and sliced it in half with his claws.

The demon's arm stump shifted until it had three tentacle-claws replacing the cut off part; his red eyes sneered at the _daiyokai_. "You're weak, demon." He finally spoke in a snide voice.

Korihime growled and bared her teeth as the imp squawked an outburst.

"I'll say it again: you're weak." He drawled; his gold eyes narrowed before he cracked his knuckles and lunged, the limb trying to ensnare him in a flurry of twisting claws before he landed a hit and sent his fist into the chest cavity of the demon.

_How did he know..? Noone knows about what happened with Tensaiga, outside of InuYasha's pack and Totosai, but is it possible he found out from Byakuya?_ Getsu wondered, bristling at the strange silence that followed his direct hit; her eyes widened as she noticed the demon's chest cavity was trying to consume him by his arm.

"Now then, do you realize how weak you are?" The demon smirked darkly at his stony gold stare.

"**Sesshomaru, get away**!" She ordered sharply.

Ten or so limbs shot up from the back of the demon, making to skewer him like a boar, before he yanked his arm out and retreated to her side.

Korihime perked up alertly at seeing smoke wisps rising up from his arm. "His arm, the toxins were too strong!" _This isn't good; if his poison is stronger than Sesshomaru's and he's his enemy, we're in trouble_, she thought grimly, brow furrowed.

"Sesshomaru," Getsu looked at him concernedly.

"I'm all right." Sesshomaru quieted her, knowing she could smell the lie even from a mile away.

"How quaint, pacifying your beloved's worries… It's sickening!" The demon cackled as his right limb sailed at the couple, taking a chunk out of Sesshomaru's stole.

"Nii-san!" Korihime exclaimed, quickly loading an arrow into her bow and aiming.

"Get down, girls!" Kohaku tossed his sickle down at the demon's head, puncturing his right temple.

_Uh-oh_… "Kohaku, you idiot!" The blue-haired female snapped at him; the arrow glowed a bright pale pink color as she glared at the demon before the boy jumped down from the dragon's back and kept the chain in hand. "**_Kohaku_**_!_" She shouted.

The demon's left limb shot up at the oncoming boy and coiled around his ankle with one appendage before the second appendage made contact with his shard, surprising him as the shard became defiled.

Sesshomaru leaped at the limb and made to set the boy free before three thin stingers shot through his right arm.  
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin and Jaken exclaimed.

A loud snarl rang out before InuYasha appeared and severed the arm at the shoulder; a torrent of blue fire sailed at the demon and forced him back as the boy fell to the ground and Sesshomaru landed nimbly.

"Kohaku!" Korihime hopped down from the dragon's back to sprint to his side, swallowing a growl at sensing the defiled shard in his neck as she looked at him concernedly. "Kohaku," she declared quietly as Kagome and Sango hurried to his side.

Getsu yanked the stingers out of his arm, holding his arm in hand and starting to heal it. "InuYasha, watch out with this guy; he reeks of evil." She instructed over her shoulder as his skin was mending underneath her lilac touch.

"So you must be Naraku's latest," InuYasha growled as he glared at the stranger. _He reeks of Naraku, but then he also reeks of something worse_, he mused.

The demon huffed as his arms grew back, making both the _hanyou_ and two _daiyokai_ bristle. "'Naraku'? How dare you group me with that half-breed?"

Sesshomaru looked at his mate as she finished healing his arm, nodding and smiling briefly at her before his gold eyes returned to the demon.

Korihime threw a glance over at the demon and bristled, watching the priestess follow her line of sight and meet his red stare before she froze and limply fell to the side; she grabbed her from falling, looking at her alertly. "Kagome!" Sango declared in surprise as the younger she-wolf jerked her stare up at the demon and growled.

InuYasha growled. "You bastard, what'd you do to Kagome!?" The demon cackled softly in response, further irritating the _hanyou_.

What the hell did he do to her…? Is he really that evil that he made her faint with just a look? There's no way Naraku could've created an incarnation that's literally evil incarnate unless

… She gasped softly before her eyes narrowed and she bared her teeth. _Of course! So that explains why he kind of smells like the Shikon Jewel_…

"Korihime, what is it?" Sango asked, perking her ears.

"That's Magatsuhi, the evil light of the Shikon no Tama." Korihime answered grimly, surprising the two humans plus kitsune.

"_This_ is Magatsuhi?" Getsu wondered, looking at the demon present before them and she bristled on instinct. _That explains as to why Kohaku's shard was defiled so easily, and Kagome fainted… He's trying to erase the light that wants to purify the Shikon no Tama!_ She thought.

"Kori, take Kohaku and leave; he'll only be in the way. You as well, _baka-hanyou,_ along with your pack." Sesshomaru declared as he moved to stand behind the half-breed, sending him a scowl.

Korihime perked her ears and began to spout a remark but decided against it, keeping her mouth closed and nodding. "Be careful, nii-san." She replied quietly.

InuYasha scowled back at his brother, watching his sister-in-law move forward as well to stand at his side, claws drawn and digging crescents into the palms of her balled fists. "Back off, you were already injured once! If he kills you this time, Getsu will burn me alive for lettin' you die…" He growled.

"That won't happen because I intend to rip this bastard to shreds first before he could ever dream of harming your brother." The aforementioned female spat frostily, her cold undertone aimed more towards the christened Magatsuhi than her younger brother-in-law.

Sesshomaru smirked slightly at her words, looking at the witless half-brother of his and huffing. "It seems you underestimate me; I don't need the protection of an idiot half-breed." He growled as his aura spiked and flared wildly, forcing his eyes to bleed red and a bristle to shoot down his spine as his inner demon snarled and roared inside him, begging to be unleashed.

Getsu looked at him in slight surprise before nodding in understanding, her own inner demon humming before the humming was replaced with a ripped snarl that rang out in her ears and threatened to make her cringe visibly, the beast whining and growling as it ached to be free and share in her mate's soon-to-be kill.

InuYasha's eyes sharpened at seeing her silver eyes slightly bleed yellow and her fangs begin to grow. "Getsu." He barked, stilling her subconscious reaction to his brother's transformation.

Getsu quieted and shook her head, bristling still as Magatsuhi smirked at the _Inu-Daiyokai_. "Sorry."

"Still want more?" The demon growled, left arm sprouting stinger-limbs before they flew at the male _daiyokai_; he dodged at the last second with a growl, leaping into the air as his bones creaked and stretched and he transformed, dropping to the ground and snatching the head of the enemy demon in his large canine jaws, ripping it from the body.

Korihime's eyes widened in awe at the form of a large white dog with red eyes and floppy ears; _so that's Sesshomaru's true form_, she thought, stealing a look at her sister. _Onee-chan, will you transform too?_

Miasma spewed out from the beheaded body that fell back, clouding the air.

"Guys, take Kagome and get out of here." InuYasha ordered quickly.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin began at seeing the mighty form of the _Inu-Daiyokai_.  
Korihime scooped her up and brought Ah-Un to her side, placing the girl on his saddle, as Miroku helped her get Kohaku onto the dragon before he and Korihime hopped onto the steed and lifted into the air as Sango and Shippo loaded Kagome onto Kirara's back and followed suit. "Getsu," she began.

"Keep Rin safe, and yourself as well, Kori." Getsu answered calmly, not sparing her sister a glance as her silver eyes were on the large form of her mate; her eyes sharpened as the body lifted itself off the ground by the numerous limbs that shot up after the two fleeing parties.

InuYasha sliced at the limbs, both he and Getsu perking up as the head cackled in the maw of the oversized dog, looking at the source of the cackle.

"Go ahead, tear my body to pieces; I'm just borrowing it, anyway." Magatsuhi declared.

"Who are you anyway?" InuYasha spat.

Getsu deadpanned. "Boy, you really are dense; that's Magatsuhi. Kori mentioned it earlier." She answered patiently, sweatdropping. _Sheesh, now I see who got the brains in the family_, she thought.

"**That's** Magatsuhi?" He balked.

_I told you_, she mused; she perked up alertly as more limbs shot out from the body, coiling around the dog demon. "Sesshomaru!" She barked.  
"I don't care even if you **ARE** Magatsuhi; I'll cut you down!" The _hanyou_ barked, bearing Tetsusaiga defensively.

Magatsuhi seemed to huff. "Fine, but I'm taking the dog with me."

The female _daiyokai_ snarled loudly and her fangs grew in response. "Don't even think about it." She spat.

He hesitated, sparing a look at the infuriated she-wolf and gritting his teeth.

'_Help him!_' Her inner demon snarled at her, threatening to burst her eardrums from the thunderous snarls that hummed loudly in her head.

She looked at the limbs that coiled around his body, threatening to choke the air out of his lungs as most of them were accumulated around his neck; she felt warm blood leak from the crescents carved into the palms of her shaking fists.

_Damn it!_

A rush of wind made the _hanyou_'s ears twitch; he perked up as Getsu sprinted forward at top speed, almost flying forward. "**Getsu**!" He shouted.

"Onee-chan?" Her sister began softly in surprise as her sister leaped at the limbs, maintaining her _yokai_ form, as flames engulfed her hands in a blue light. "Getsu!" She barked, watching her right hand sever the limbs sharply down the front of his throat.

Both the imp and _hanyou_ perked up as she ripped the limbs from his neck with vigor, blood staining her claws from the limbs she ripped off, her fangs grown as a faint yellow light tinted her silver orbs.

"I'm not going to let you die, you idiot prat; I love you too much to let that happen!" Getsu promised between her fangs, grabbing the last of the limbs in both hands and setting them aflame, tearing them off before reaching with an extinguished hand to pry his jaw open and take the head, tossing it away onto the ground.

The mighty _Inu-Daiyokai_ growled loudly at her, his red eyes gleaming, before she ran her claws through the white fur on his long muzzle; his red eyes widened in surprise at her gentle touch.

She smiled up at him, shushing the growls coming from deep inside his chest that reverberated through his throat and threatened to spew from between his large teeth as she continued to run her hands down his muzzle gently. "It's okay, it's me. I'm not going to hurt you, Sesshomaru. Please believe that." She crooned softly, pressing her forehead to the upper bridge of his snout.

'_Getsu…?_' His conscious that stood aside while his canine instincts took over hummed inside his ears, resonating in his mind like an echo; his red eyes stared down at her, at the petite female he had promised to protect and avenge her clan, the female he loved more than anything… the female that was his mate.

'_Getsu_.' His conscious spoke clearly in his ears.

His red eyes closed and he growled softly in recognition, the relief that she was trying to ease him back to his right frame of mind and that she was still standing washing over him.

_Getsu_… A blinding red light consumed the oversized dog and the female _daiyokai_ that had her arms around his snout, the light dispersing as the dog shrank down until his _daiyokai_ form stood there in its place with his arm wrapped around her waist.

She smiled up at him, relieved that he was okay. "Are you alright now?" She asked quietly.

He nodded, squeezing her waist. "Thank you for helping."

She shrugged and perked up as a large violet stinger limb sailed at them; he tightened his grip on her waist and moved them out of the way, a feral growl rumbling in his chest at the rude interruption.

"Alright Sesshomaru, leave him to me!" The _hanyou_ lunged forward with Tetsusaiga bared.

Sesshomaru lunged first at the limbs; the limbs sailed at him, coiling around his body like a snake.

Blue fire sailed at the demon and sent him flying as the _hanyou_ severed the limbs.

InuYasha looked over at his brother as she yanked the limbs off his body, helping him pull them off. "I know you don't want my help, but I can't let you die. I'll use _Meido Zangetsuha._" He declared, the Tetsusaiga's blade glowing yellow before it turned black.

Magatsuhi cackled before the large lump of limbs that supported his head dispersed around the group, earning a brief glance from the two _daiyokai_. "Go ahead and give that _Meido Zangetsuha_ a whirl; but were I you, I'd watch where I aim, or you just as might easily kill your friends." He sneered.

Sesshomaru glanced at the humans behind them. "Follow me," he declared, slightly baffling them, before charging forward at the limbs and slicing them with his Poison Claws; Getsu flanked him, ripping the rest of the limbs with her own claws coated in blue fire.

_Nii-san, just what are you planning to do?_ Korihime wondered, gripping the reins of Ah-Un out of reflex as they finally halted in one spot and let the limbs swirl around their clustered group threatening to strike; she bristled and growled under her breath, dropping the reins of one hand to hold the girl closer to her chest.

"Stay here." He looked at her and kissed her hard, surprising her, before looking at the group. "Okay, the rest of you will have to handle the rest on your own." He announced, surprising his sister-in-law as well as the humans gathered.

"Sesshomaru," she began softly in slight confusion, looking at their pack and perking her ears at his words; he spared her a brief soft smile before leaping forward at the floating head of Magatsuhi.

"Nii-san!" Her sister declared in confusion, a soft breeze tugging at her cobalt blue hair. _Sesshomaru, please be careful_, she thought with worried blue eyes.

He bristled as he could see the true villain beneath the "borrowed" body Magatsuhi occupied, drawing Tensaiga; the head's red eyes bulged almost out of his sockets in horror and realization.

"Sesshomaru, you **idiot**!" InuYasha barked.

"No he's actually right on the mark." Getsu declared as she dropped to stand next to him, surprising the half-breed; she kept her silver eyes on his brother. "Tensaiga can not only heal but can also cut the dead or a force not of this world. So in a way, he's actually very clever." _Which of course doesn't surprise me, at this point_, she thought with a private smirk.

He sliced at the air behind the head until a large pale face with red eyes formed and snarled a curse at him.

"So that's Magatsuhi's real face." Korihime muttered.

He started slicing at the limbs even though Tensaiga's blade didn't leave so much as a dent on the limbs that surmounted and sailed at him.

"He can't cut through them with Tensaiga because they aren't from the netherworld." Getsu muttered, perking her ears as a long lilac limb sailed at him from behind. "Look out!" She shouted.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened as the limb rammed through the left side of his chest, skewering him like a pig.

"**_BROTHER_**_!_" Korihime screamed.

"**LORD SESSHOMARU**!" Rin and Jaken cried.

InuYasha blanched.

A feral thundering snarl ripped from her throat before she flew up at the head at top speed, surprising the _hanyou_.  
"**_SESSHOMARU_**_!_" Getsu screamed, angered tears stinging her eyes as they fell down her cheeks as she felt her wolf fire flare wildly until it consumed her petite form in a bright blue light.

A large blast of blue fire sailed at the head, burning it as she grabbed hold of the limb that impaled him.

"G-Getsu!" He growled, turning a gold eye at her to see her petite body was coated in blue fire, her own wolf fire passed down from at least three generations of wolf demons; she severed the link with a hand, yanking the stinger part out of his chest and setting him free.

She grabbed his shoulders, looking at him worriedly. "Sesshomaru," she croaked.

His gold eyes looked at her silver orbs and he growled as he saw there were tearstains on her cheeks; she smiled in relief at his silent response that clarified he was alright, hugging his neck and burying her face into his shoulder.

The blue fire had lessened its intensity so it now coated the both of them in the blue light.

_It's not burning her or myself… It's actually warm, and it feels almost like her healing power_, he thought, burying his nose into her hair and groaning quietly.

'_Fools!_' The voice of Magatsuhi ripped into the air before the limbs encased the two _daiyokai_ in a large cocoon.

"**NO**!" Korihime shrieked, loading an arrow into her bow quickly as it glowed pink before she fired.

InuYasha leaped onto Kirara and sailed at the cocoon, leaping onto it and starting to hack at the various limbs angrily.

Sesshomaru perked up as the blue light was starting to fade, looking at his mate. "Getsu," he began worriedly.

Getsu dug her nails into his shoulders and shut her eyes tight as the immense usage of her power was depleting her demonic energy as much as it would if she'd used her Nagareboshi-Kaen Taiho. "D-don't worry, I know you'll be able to win this… You have to, Sesshomaru…!" She slumped against him as unconsciousness took her, surprising him.

"Getsu! **Getsu, wake up**!" He shouted, glaring around them at the limbs that threatened to consume their bodies: his own demonic aura flared wildly around him as a thundering snarl erupted from his throat. "**_GETSU_**_!_" He shouted as his aura turned a vibrant green and consumed them both in a mixed light of green and bright yellow.

The cocoon burst open from the inside, surprising the caught _hanyou_, before it imploded and showed Sesshomaru standing there with Getsu held to his chest by his right arm; a mixed combination of green and yellow light spewed out from his left arm socket.

"Nii-san!" Korihime cried in relief, looking at the knocked out form of her older sister and her eyes widened slightly before saddening. "Onee-chan," she murmured.

"Sesshomaru," InuYasha began in awe, his eyes catching the light from his left arm; _that light! It's from where his arm_… His thoughts trailed off in confusion.

A thin cloud moving fast stirred the _daiyokai_'s attention away; he glanced at the owner of the cloud and saw Totosai the welder there as more limbs shot up from the ground to take both he and his mate once more.

_If Totosai's here, then this is it… I won't let you become consumed, Getsu. I won't let you die!_ Sesshomaru swung his left arm at the rest of the demon limbs, making them implode around him and the group.

"Kori-onee, do you see that?" Rin asked, perking her ears.

Her blue eyes widened in shock: Sesshomaru's left arm, the arm his brother had severed all those months ago, was replaced with a new pale-skinned arm similar to his original one, gripping the white hilt of a katana with puzzle-piece-looking markings on the bottom half of the blade and also on the hilt's fabric.

"_His arm!_" Korihime and InuYasha declared in likewise shock.

"So it's finally appeared, Sesshomaru; finally a blade that didn't come from your father! This is your sword, Bakusaiga!" Totosai exclaimed overhead.

"'Bakusaiga' is it?" Sesshomaru marveled at the new blade that was his… and it was his _alone_.

The limbs he'd severed earlier squirmed and twitched when they fell onto each other before imploding, bursting from the inside out.

_Any demons Naraku absorbs that were damaged by Bakusaiga will destroy him too! This might be our trump card to finally destroy him_, Korihime noted with a glance at the head Magatsuhi was occupying; she loaded another arrow into her bow, hurrying to Kirara. "Sango, I'm gonna borrow Kirara for a minute!" She declared, hopping onto the _neko_'s back and urging her upward to where her brother-in-law was.

"What's she planning?" InuYasha wondered in slight confusion as the _neko_ was steadied and the she-wolf aimed her arrow at the head.

"Korihime," he looked at her.

She kept her blue eyes on the head. "Don't worry about me and just hit him; I can always find more arrows." She assured calmly.

"I see; this diversion proved to be interesting. However, as I'm only borrowing this body, you've done me no harm." Magatsuhi sneered.

"Kill this fucker," Korihime growled as the arrow and bow glowed a brilliant hot pink color.

Sesshomaru huffed and smirked. "You don't have to tell me twice, little sister." He swung Bakusaiga sharply, sending a wide torrent of green and yellow energy screaming at the head as she fired.

The arrow was coated in black-with-pink-tinged ice as it pierced the head directly between the eyes; the blast from Bakusaiga instantly destroyed the head and arrow.

He huffed again as the demonic aura that had clouded the sky a near-black color dissipated and showed a clear blue sky. "So it escaped."

* * *

A/N: well that was action-packed wasn't it? sorry for not updating sooner D; it just took me longer to write this chap out than the previous one. things will start to wind down soon and also i think this fanfic will have more chaps than my first success, '_We Are_'. anywho, not much else to put except that to throw some feedback if y'like.

thanks and see ya!


	40. Burn - Shining Up2 the Sky

A/N: sorry for the cliffhanger on the last chap, folks. i was anxious to get that chap out and this chap is kind of an epilogue/filler/prologue for the next chap with some smut, lemon-hinting, and light comedy thrown into the mix. enjoy!  
(**ALSO**: **3k Views!** thanks a lot really! *cries waterfalls of joy*)

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 40: Burn - Shining Up2 the Sky**_

Korihime sweatdropped as the imp burned the kitsune's tail with a jet of fire from the staff of two heads; she sighed and stomped her foot onto the imp's head, hearing him yelp a complaint before she ground his face into the ground. "Give it a rest; keep burning Shippo's tail and we're going to eat fried toad with you as the main course." She growled.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes patiently, looking down at his mate cradled in his arms bridal-style, relieved to see that she was still breathing.

"Lord Sesshomaru, is Getsu-onee going to be okay?" Rin asked innocently, perking his ears.

The aforementioned female stirred, surprising him; her brow twitched before her eyes opened stiffly and she slowly lifted her gaze up to stare through half-opened lids into his gold stare; she cracked a wry smile. "Either you killed that freak or I'm in heaven." She mused.

He blinked before his eyes softened and he chuckled, using his left hand to brush strands of black hair from her forehead. "You're the same as ever, I see." He quipped gently.

"Onee-chan!" Korihime exclaimed in relief at hearing her sister's voice, handing the staff to the kitsune to take a swing at the battered imp, before drawing closer to the two _daiyokai_ with a grin on her face.

Getsu smiled at her, gingerly slipping free of his hold to stand on her own; she sort of stumbled before his left arm shot out and steadied her with a quick grab of her obi, his arm sliding around her waist out of reflex and protection, making her blush slightly before her silver eyes looked at her sister. "I'm glad you're all right, Kori-chan."

"Getsu-onee!" Rin embraced the female _daiyokai_, making her yelp and then she chuckled, shirking free of his arm's grip to lift the girl into a bear-hug. "Getsu-onee, we were so worried about you! Lord Sesshomaru was even more worried than Kori-onee and me!" She declared, making her ears twitch.

Sesshomaru uttered a snort and looked away out of embarrassment as Korihime blinked.

Getsu smiled and nuzzled the girl's head affectionately, looking up at him and smirking. "Is that right? Aww, you've really turned into such a softie, Sessh-kun." She teased.

"Shut up, you're lucky I saved your neck." Sesshomaru growled, pouting at her.

Korihime and Rin laughed as Getsu giggled.

Getsu let go of the girl to straighten and lean up and kiss his cheek. "Don't be like that," she purred.

"Ugh, all this romantic crap is making me nauseated…" InuYasha grumbled as he stood from checking on Kagome to scowl slightly over at the flustered form of his brother.

Both Getsu and Korihime turned slowly as a dark aura came up behind them; he blinked.

"**_BAKA-INU_**_!_"

**_FWHAM_**.

"G-GAH!"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes again and exhaled, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. _Honestly_…

:::::::xXx::::::::

Getsu looked over at the hut and frowned softly, her arms folded in the sleeves of her kimono.

"If you want to go check on them, go on." Sesshomaru declared, perking her ears.

She met his calm gold stare and waved it away aimlessly, smiling sheepishly. "It's alright, Kori's fine without me." She replied.

He nodded a little and watched her trace a clawed finger down the muscles of his left arm, his gold eyes softening at her innocent touch.

"Okay, all done! A scabbard for Bakusaiga," the welder declared as he showed him the newly sheathed Bakusaiga now donning a scabbard that matched both the hilt on the katana and bottom half of the blade.

He took it and unsheathed the blade, admiring it for a moment before sheathing it and slipping it beneath his sash.

She smiled a little at the new sword and sighed, rubbing her neck, her ears twitching as she saw him walk off; she hurried to his side. "Sesshomaru," she began.

"Oi Sesshomaru, wait up!" Her sister barked as she and the girl stepped out from inside the hut.

"Please wait, Lord Sesshomaru; Kohaku still hasn't woken up yet! If we wait a bit longer, I'm sure he'll…" She began.

"Kohaku stays behind." Sesshomaru declared sternly, pausing.

Rin balked. "Huh?"

"You're staying behind as well. You and Korihime."

Korihime's eyes widened sharply. "Nii-san…" She stomped ahead of the girl. "Why me!? I can still fight! I want to fight at your side…!"

"You will stay behind and help the others. I will not risk your life for my sake, Korihime." Sesshomaru interjected, turning a gold eye back at her surprised blue eyes.

"Sesshomaru…" Getsu looked at him in surprise before quieting, realizing that he was doing this for her. He didn't want her to see her sister die at the hands of Magatsuhi: he wanted to protect Korihime.

"B-but I want to go with you, Lord Sesshomaru…!" Rin cried as she made to follow before the imp stopped her in her tracks and berated her for being a brat and nuisance…

"Jaken, you'll be staying behind too." Sesshomaru added calmly without looking back.

"**WHAT**!?" Jaken blanched, yellow eyes bulging.

Korihime smirked slightly, looking at her sister that looked torn between her packmates and her mate. "Looks like you'll get that honeymoon after all." She mused, trying at a joke.

Getsu blinked and then her eyes softened before she chuckled, stepping away from his side to throw her arms around her sister as they embraced tightly. "Be safe, Kori-chan. You and Rin." She requested gently, squeezing before letting her slip free.

Rin sniffed, looking on the verge of tears; she blinked and stepped away from her sister to move to stoop before the girl on her knees, grasping her shoulders gently. "Getsu-onee," she began quietly.

Getsu smiled gently, her silver eyes kind and warm, the silver eyes that made her out to be more like the girl's mother than her big sister. "We're gonna be alright, okay? But you gotta stay here, Rin; he's only doing this to protect you… That's why he's making you and Kori and Jaken stay behind, to keep you safe and from getting hurt. He doesn't want that for you, love, just as much as I don't want it either. Do you get what I'm saying?" She spoke gently, staring into her big brown eyes that had made her life a lot lighter for the past four years.

Rin nodded quietly, letting her drop her hands from her shoulders before she threw herself into her arms, surprising the she-wolf. "Getsu-onee, please be safe! And please, please take care of Lord Sesshomaru!" She pleaded as she buried her face into the older female's left shoulder.

Sesshomaru looked back at the scene, his gold eyes saddening a little before he reminded himself that this was something he had to do to not only restore his honor but to keep his pack safe.

"I will, Rin. Count on it." Getsu nodded and nuzzled the side of her head gently like her mother used to do when she was a child, squeezing the girl tight before letting her go.

"Getsu, let's go." He ignored the imp wailing and babbling that he wanted to go with him as he clung to his stole, dragging the annoying demon on the ground as he went.

She rolled her eyes at the sight and straightened, looking at her sister; they shared a nod before she smiled and turned to trot after him.

"Oi, Sesshomaru, what's going on?" InuYasha asked behind them, making both _daiyokai_ pause; his gold eyes tightened in understanding. "You're going after Magatsuhi, aren't you?" He guessed.

Sesshomaru glanced back at him and looked away. "Magatsuhi is my prey now." He answered solemnly, dismissing the conversation and continuing to walk.

Getsu paused and turned to look at the _hanyou_'s gold eyes, bowing once before straightening. "Please look after my sisters. Both of them." She requested, glancing at the two girls of her pack before smiling at him, turning to follow her mate until she took off into the air at his side and coincidentally dropping a wailing and distraught imp on the ground as they went.

:::::::eEe::::::::

He wasn't entirely pleased.

They had been tracking Magatsuhi's stink for a little over a week now, ten days if he had to guess, and it was at the insistence of his travelling partner that they take a break.

Of course that break led to spending the night and majority of the next day in a clearing closed off from the rest of a large forest, the majority of the night spent making love and being reminded just how vital they really were to each other, and the majority of the morning spent (at the further insistence of his travelling companion) sparring to remind the latter just how much fun it was to spar with him now that he had his arm back.

Seeing her lithe body twist this way and that as they sparred and sent blow after blow at each other in the dance of battle of course was a turn-on to him, but his quick dodges and rebutting blows wiped away the arousal as quickly as it came.

Now he blocked each kick or punch she aimed at his face or chest, arms crossed across his face to form some sort of defense against her flurry of blows, his gold eyes focusing on the fluid movement of her muscles in her arms and legs, the determined and dead-set expression on her pretty face bringing forth that same arousal he'd felt earlier on in the start of their spar.

He finally saw his opening and dodged her next kick she aimed at his gut, his right foot tripping her in her oncoming charge and making her stumble, losing her footing and momentum in one fell swoop.

She yelped as she fell, her face planting in the green grass of the clearing.

Sesshomaru panted, muscles tingling throughout his lean body and slowly easing as he shook his head softly and lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck, rolling his shoulders to stretch the kinks out.

Getsu spat out dirt, the same dirt leaving smudges on her cheeks and forehead, gingerly lifting herself up on her hands and knees, grumbling curses under her breath at his narrow dodge of her last blow.

He smirked smugly at practically smelling defeat reeking off her petite body, moving closer to plop down on the grass near her. "Don't be sore; you started it, after all." He reminded calmly, holding his legs to keep from letting himself land in the grass back-first.

She blushed and spat out a blade of grass, scowling at the satisfied and smug light in his gold orbs. "Piss off; that was just a fluke that you acted quick on the last round." She growled.

Sesshomaru simply smiled cheekily. "Of course it was." He replied nonchalantly.

Getsu growled again as the blush deepened and flared to that shade of reddish pink he loved most, catching the beads of sweat glistening on his toned arms shown from the sleeveless white _kosode_ he wore beneath his regular clothes, his long silver hair pulled up in a high ponytail; she snorted and rocked to sit on her heels, crossing her arms at her chest. "Must you be so smug?" She grumbled. _Gods, talk about déjà vu; this is a repeat of our first spar back home, two hundred years ago!_ She thought.

He shrugged innocently, his gold eyes briefly abandoning her irritable silver stare to take in the light teal sleeveless _kosode_ she wore beneath her usual kimono top, the collar left open modestly but not so modest to the point where he could see a lone bead of sweat trickle down her collar bone to the cleavage of her small breasts; the sight made the arousal all the more unbearable and made his inner demon purr hungrily in his ears. "Not always, it's just interesting to see you blush." _As well as rewarding_, he inwardly added with a wide smirk to replace the innocent look on his handsome face.

She blushed a deeper shade of that reddish pink color and growled, reacting in the only way he would imagine she would react: she threw him to the ground, pinning him by his shoulders as she bristled annoyedly and towered over him on her hands and knees. "You cheap perverted…" She squeaked when he lifted a hand to lazily trace his index finger down the path the sweat bead went, tracing his claw over the contours of her left breast.

"You were saying?" He hummed calmly, lifting his free hand to fondle her unattended-to breast, a coy look crossing his face.

Getsu mewled and bit her lip, her fangs drawn, as her inner demon purred and whined, begging to be touched and melt in his ever-capable hands. "D-damn you," she hissed, the hiss being drowned out by a sharp growl when he dragged his claws lightly along the right side of her neck.

Sesshomaru grinned softly in self-satisfaction at making her practically melt, gently guiding her to sit on her knees as he sat up and buried his face into her throat, kissing her skin slowly and biting once or twice. "Temper, princess." He purred.

She moaned softly and raked her claws through his silver hair, digging them in his scalp as his mouth lowered to lick the spot between her left shoulder and side of her neck, tilting her head back. "S-Sesshomaru!" She groaned in need moreso than in pleading for him to stop teasing her.

He smiled and dragged his fangs lightly over the vein in her throat, sending a lone shiver down her spine and making her moan louder. "Hn?"

Getsu pushed him onto his back, pinning him again, her face red from both her arousal and embarrassment at letting him win at their second sparring match they'd had.

Sesshomaru smirked up at her, lifting a hand to gather the locks of ebony at the back of her head and guiding her into a deep kiss that often made her knees weak and sink before him in surrender, rendering his princess to an aroused future mother of his pups.

She growled at first before his tongue slipped inside her mouth and took control of her own tongue, dominating her with hardly any retaliation. _Damn it, why is he such a good kisser?_ She wanted to demand of the heavens above, succumbing to his will albeit reluctantly.

He guided her to sit in his lap as he sat up once having tamed her usually-pouting mouth, practically feeling the heat from her core searing into his legs past the fabric of his _hakama_, his inner beast's will kicking in as he grinded his erect manhood against her inner thighs, feeling her freeze briefly before she grew accustomed to the feeling and grinded with him.

Getsu blushed more (if that was possible at this point) when feeling his manhood throb against her heated warmth, moaning softly before letting him guide her onto her back, leaning up a little to kiss him hungrily.

Sesshomaru uttered an aroused growl from deep within his chest as he traced his claws along the lighter-toned skin of her outer right thigh, forcing another shiver from his willing mate before she reached to undo his sash at his waist and help him out of his _hakama_.

Her inner demon all but howled inside her ears when he pushed his hips against hers and made her lips open to take him.

He groaned loudly and tilted his head back before ending the torture he'd caused to both her and himself, making her cry out and moan his name.

* * *

Korihime looked up from walking with the kitsune and old priestess.

Both parties looked at her in slight confusion.

"Lady Korihime, is something wrong?" Granny Kaede asked curiously, perking her ears.

A bristle rippled down her spine as she sniffed the air. "Something's coming. Shippo, take Kaede and find Miroku. I've gotta get Rin and Sango." She declared, looking to the kitsune.

Shippo nodded even though his aqua-colored eyes looked worried. "Kori-chan, what about Kagome and InuYasha? Shouldn't we wait for them to come?"

Korihime looked up at the sky again and she shook her head. "We'll have to start without them; I'm sure they'll come soon, okay? Let's go." She replied, taking off at a quick sprint towards the village, her mind flying to the girl and demon slayer still inside the hut. _God don't let anything happen to them!_ She thought, gritting her teeth.

:::::::xXx::::::::

Thunder growled overhead.

Getsu looked up at the dark skies around them and bristled out of reflex, flexing her claws. _Why do I have the feeling that we're getting the run-around?_ She wondered.

A swirling red vortex appeared, forcing both _daiyokai_ to skid to a halt and watch as the effeminate incarnation of Naraku appeared fresh out of the vortex, safely riding one of his large origami cranes. "Well, well, you came all this way chasing Magatsuhi's scent; the great Lord Sesshomaru really does have a keen nose... for a dog." Byakuya of the Dreams mused thoughtfully.

Sesshomaru bristled. "Byakuya of the Dreams," he greeted coldly.

He cocked a brow. "A left arm? I thought you didn't have one… did it grow back?" He teased.

He huffed. "This has nothing to do with you so piss off."

Byakuya scoffed. "I see your manners haven't improved; now Lady Getsuei, I'm shocked that you haven't managed to keep him on a shorter leash with his etiquette." He turned to the silent she-wolf.

Getsu bristled again but other than that said nothing.

"Ah well, I suppose you're both looking for this one, right?" The large face of Magatsuhi appeared behind the incarnation.

"Magatsuhi," she grumbled.

He flew past her at the face, drawing Tensaiga and swinging it at the face; a rip appeared until it disappeared, looking as if he hadn't struck out at all. "It didn't work." He noted.

She shot a look over at the incarnation to see his arms were folded smugly, as if he knew something they didn't… _Of course!_ It clicked. _It's not the real Magatsuhi!_ She thought.

"Sesshomaru it's not real! The face is just an illusion." She declared, perking his ears.

_So that explains things_, he thought, glancing at her and nodding.

_But if that's not the real Magatsuhi, then where…?_ Her silver orbs widened in horror. "Oh _fuck_." She hissed, drawing Mangetsuga. "Byakuya, tell me where Magatsuhi is!" She ordered sharply, glaring at the incarnation's cobalt eyes.

"Clever mind, Lady Getsuei! You figured it out. But you're a bit too late, I'm afraid." He snickered; she growled and flashed her fangs in annoyance.

:::::::dDd::::::::

She bristled and bared her teeth instinctively as she held the girl to her chest and held up an ice dagger to defend both her and her charge, her blue eyes glowering into the malevolent face of Magatsuhi, perking up as the boy's eyes opened to reveal lifeless brown orbs, making the bristle lift the fine hairs on the back of her neck and arms. "Magatsuhi!" She hissed.

"Has Magatsuhi taken over his body?" The demon slayer wondered behind her, the monk at her side.

"_This boy has within him the last shard of the Shikon Jewel, with it the jewel will at last be completed_." The low distorted voice of the evil light declared from Kohaku's mouth.

"Kohaku! Give him back!" His sister demanded.

"_Don't worry, I shall give the boy's body back once I'm done with it_." Magatsuhi replied coldly.

_Damn it, what do I do? I can't hit Magatsuhi's face because he can't be killed by anything of the mortal world, and if I use my powers it'll only hurt Kohaku… and Sango, too!_ Korihime flashed her teeth. "Fuck." She rumbled.

"He intends to take Kohaku to Naraku with the shard still inside him!" Miroku noted aloud in realization.

Sango gritted her teeth. "I won't let you take him anywhere!"

The evil light huffed before a loud rumbling sounded coming fast to the hut.

"Korihime, take Rin and go!" Sango declared, perking her ears.

"But Sango…" Korihime began, perking up as the walls crashed from behind the hut as several large demons burst through and flew at them; she grunted and sliced at one with her claws, keeping the girl behind her, before the boy drew his sickle out of the corner of her eye and it transformed into a giant scythe-looking blade. "**KOHAKU!**" She shouted.

::::::oOo:::::::

Getsu glared at him after he sliced open the gourd of _sake_, dispelling the illusion. _So that's where the scent came from_, she thought.

"Yes, it's a piece of Magatsuhi's flesh that you cut off; it carries a fraction of the soul that didn't escape in time. But it was more than enough to summon you two mongrels from a great distance; unfortunately, it took you too long to notice. My condolences. But since you're here, I figure 'why not amuse me a while longer'?" Byakuya smirked as a demon horde came forth and surrounded them.

_What does he mean by 'my condolences'…?_ Her silver eyes sharpened. _Korihime!_ She looked at her mate alertly. "Sesshomaru!" She exclaimed as the realization seemed to hit him shortly after hitting her first.

_Damn it all_, he thought, glaring at the various demons surrounding them, hearing his mate growl as her aura spiked angrily. "Stay your hand, Getsu." He instructed, perking her ears.

She obeyed reluctantly and lowered her katana. "Right."

"You underestimate us, Byakuya; do you honestly believe you could impede us with demons as weak as these?" Sesshomaru drawled.

Byakuya shrugged. "I did gather a thousand of them…" He mused.

"**Bakusaiga**!" A wide torrent of green-and-yellow energy screamed at the demon horde, destroying them all in one fell swoop.

Getsu yelped slightly when Sesshomaru grabbed her waist in his left arm and spirited away from the scene.

Byakuya deadpanned, a brow twitching in shock and disappointment. "What? …All of them at once?" He muttered.

"Sesshomaru, we've got to hurry; we left Korihime and Rin…" She began once they were miles away from the scene of carnage, holding his arm to her waist as they flew back to the village.

"I know, I was thinking the same. Damn, I should have known it was another wild goose chase. Damn that bastard Byakuya." He replied with a growl in his throat.

Getsu nodded and stroked his cheek. "We both were fooled, it's not you." She assured quietly.

Sesshomaru looked at her and smiled slightly, elated that even when he was angry at himself for something foolish he'd caused or did, Getsu was always there to lift him up. That's just the kind of woman she was.

* * *

A/N: if anyone is wondering on the reason why i titled the chap off the song "**Burn**" by **Ellie Goulding** is because i got invited to the Bruno Mars concert in Austin this past week, on his "Moonshine Jungle" tour i think... and i all but died when my friend told me Ellie Goulding was the opening act. it was legit and such an epic light show concert i loved it. xD so the chap title is a tribute to that song. Ellie Goulding ftw! xD

anywho, chap 41 is in the works so until then, later! drop a comment or whatever if y'want. thanks~


	41. Burn - Let it Bleed

A/N: last chap was a sort of filler as well as a few tidbits of the plot added in. enjoy!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 41: Burn - Let it Bleed**_

"_Hit the mark!_" A bright pink arrow sailed at the large green limb that shot out to hit the moving _hanyou_, making him almost skid to a halt before the she-wolf came into view and was sprinting at his side, another arrow in her bow.

"Nice shot," he mused, seeing her wink and smirk.

"You can thank me later." She replied.

More limbs flew at them from the sides of the gorge, making both _hanyou_ and she-wolf dodge and evade them as they kept running.

"**_Wolf's Crescent_**_!_" A wide torrent of blue-green energy sailed at the various limbs that shot out, destroying them instantly.

"Onee-chan!" Korihime beamed.

Getsu smiled in relief at seeing her sister still standing, looking at the _hanyou_ and smirking. "Glad you two are still in one piece." She declared.

InuYasha smirked at her, resting Tetsusaiga against his shoulder. "Well ain't you actin' like a bigshot." He teased, seeing her chuckle.

A loud cry came from Magatsuhi's face as part of the face was sliced from behind, making everyone gathered look to see Sesshomaru present with a drawn Tensaiga in hand.

"Nii-san!" She smiled, glad that the cavalry had arrived.

Three large limbs shot up from inside the gorge wall to hit him; he sheathed Tensaiga and instead drew Bakusaiga.

"Naraku's limbs, hm? **Bakusaiga**!" Torrents of green-yellow energy screamed at the limbs, destroying them and setting off a chain reaction as the rest of the limbs in the gorge imploded and burst like tomatoes.

"Amazing!" The priestess declared in awe.

"You're telling me; it looks like a body that's been cut by Bakusaiga can never be used again." InuYasha chimed.

Getsu huffed calmly and smiled, sheathing her katana. _Therein is the sheer power of the Bakusaiga_, she mused.

"It ends here, Magatsuhi; rather than face me you used Byakuya of the Dreams as a diversion to elude another encounter. Are you really that fearful of Tensaiga?" Sesshomaru drawled coldly, facing the aggravated-looking glare of the evil will.

Magatsuhi sneered, 'If you could've destroyed me with Tensaiga, you would've done it on your first stroke.'

"It's not that I couldn't destroy you, it's that I chose **not** to." He mused calmly, further aggravating him; he tried to snake his way out of the direct line of fire before the _Inu-Daiyokai_ caught him from fleeing and glared at him, Tensaiga gripped tight in hand. "I wanted you to see my face, that way you would know that I was the one to cut you down. _Tensaiga!_" He swung the heirloom fang down sharply, ripping a new one in the pale face.

Magatsuhi cried out in pain before fading from sight, fleeing at last. '_Damn you; don't think this is the end! I am indestructible! __**I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE**__!_' He bellowed before his voice wasn't heard again.

Korihime huffed. "I'd like to hope that he's only bluffing." She muttered.

"Pretty sure he is." InuYasha scoffed.

"Getsu, Sesshomaru, both of you listen; before coming here Magatsuhi attacked the village and poisoned both Rin and Miroku." Sango declared, drawing closer to the male _daiyokai_ riding Kirara with Kohaku sitting infront of her.

Sesshomaru perked up as Getsu's eyes sharpened alertly.

"Stay with InuYasha," she ordered gently to her sister, leaping into the air and flying back to the village with Sesshomaru in the lead.

"Getsu-onee!" Korihime barked, watching the two _daiyokai_ disappear into the darkness.

:::::::oOo:::::::

"So, Magatsuhi survived after all, as I expected."

Jaken squeaked and froze up in total fear.

"**_YOU IDIOT FROG_**_!_" Her bare foot stomped onto his head, smashing his face into the ground as she rubbed her heel into the top of his head with a vein twitching annoyedly on her temple.

Miroku and Shippo sweatdropped.

"If you're done using his face as a footstool…" Sesshomaru sweatdropped, perking her ears.

"Sorry, love!" Getsu smiled sheepishly, removing her foot from the imp's head and folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono.

_Well, at least those two haven't changed_, the monk mused before pondering on what the _Inu-Daiyokai_ said. "Sesshomaru, what'd you mean when you said that he survived?" He asked warily.

"Wait, are you suggesting that Magatsuhi's true form had been hiding in the monk all this time?" Kaede chimed alertly.

Getsu blinked. "Well to be honest…" She began to explain before he tugged on her hand and took off into the sky again, making her yelp. "H-Hey Sesshomaru; hold it!" She barked.

Sesshomaru ignored her protest, scowling ahead into the moonlit night. _Magatsuhi took Rin to Naraku for one reason, and that's to seal both Tensaiga and Bakusaiga… Knowing Naraku, he'll most likely still be vying for Getsu's demonic powers even after completing the Shikon Jewel. Taking her with me is dangerous enough, but at this point in time it's strange to not have her fighting at my side… Even at the cost of her safety, I want her at my side as we finally destroy that overgrown pest_…

"Do you think Rin is okay?" Her voice stirred him from his thoughts.

He looked at her to see she was looking up at the moon, her silver eyes trained on the great white orb in the night sky. "Naraku won't hurt her so long as he's using her as a bargaining chip." He replied quietly.

She nodded, her brow furrowing softly. _Sesshomaru is pissed, I can practically smell it. But is he angered because of Rin being abducted again, or is he angered because he's putting me in danger? I doubt it's the latter; at this point in time I'm so used to fighting at his side that if he made me stay behind I would follow him into the heart of battle regardless! I don't want to leave his side, not again_, she thought.

* * *

Korihime bristled and glared at the swirling black cloud hundreds of yards away from them in the sky.

"Shouldn't you have gone to look for your sister?" InuYasha wondered, stirring her attention away from the ominous cloud and seeing her blue eyes look at him.

She shouldered her bow absently and sighed. "Both Getsu and Sesshomaru made me stay with you, remember? Besides, Rin was abducted by Magatsuhi, something I should have prevented. Rin is my responsibility and I have to get her back before Naraku kills her; besides, I figured you lot could use an extra hand." She explained, looking at him and smirking slightly.

He nodded and returned the smirk, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you decided to stick around, then, Kori." He replied with a light in his gold eyes that reminded her once again of his being only one century younger than her.

She smiled and nodded a little, her ears twitching as she looked over her shoulder to see the priestess running towards them. "Kagome!" She declared.

"InuYasha! Thanks for waiting on me; Korihime, I'm glad you're still here." The girl said as she came to a halt short of the _hanyou_ and wolf demon, smiling.

"Good, let's get going." InuYasha declared calmly.

"Welcome back, Kagome," Sango chimed.

"That didn't take long." Miroku added.

"All right we're together again!" Shippo chirped.

Korihime smiled at him, lifting her arms to tie her hair back in a ponytail. "Shall we?"

"Let's go!" InuYasha barked.

:::::::xXx:::::::

She deadpanned. "I coulda handled them…"

"It's wiser for you to save your energy; this is only the beginning and we're going to have to combine both our powers to both destroy Naraku and save Rin." He reasoned calmly, ignoring the vein twitching on her brow at his untimely interference.

She huffed and instead glared at the imposing form of Naraku's final transformation into a large black spider: she hated insects, and Naraku's current form was no exception by any means.

"I must say that new sword of yours is really something!" Both _daiyokai_ looked over their shoulders to see Byakuya of the Dreams standing behind them riding a large eel demon. "One swing in a demon's direction leaves a crumbling corpse, and if that corpse is reabsorbed by the main body, then it too will crumble. Naraku won't have a chance even in his new form… so by all means, swing away!" He smiled lightly.

"Byakuya of the Dreams," he ground out in a low growl.

"You'd like to see that, wouldn't you?" She drawled, throwing the incarnation a dirty look before her silver eyes traveled back to the large spider before them. _Even if we do hack away at the body using both Bakusaiga and Mangetsuga, we might hurt Rin in the process because we don't know where exactly in his body Naraku has her_, she mused, her lip curling in a snarl.

"Or are you worried for your little companion? As you've already guessed, she's in there… Inside Naraku." He sneered as the abdomen opened up and allowed thick streams of webbing to shoot out, destroying demons that got close enough to touch the spider web, both _daiyokai_ sidestepping the lone webbing that sailed at where they were.

Getsu and Sesshomaru perked up slightly and looked to see another wave of demons coming forward, both their younger siblings plus their human pack mixed in with the wave of lesser beasts.

"Well look who's here." Byakuya mused.

"Onee-chan," Korihime smiled in relief at seeing her sister had arrived first, her brother-in-law at her side, as she held onto the monk's sides from riding with him and Sango atop Kirara.

The spider reared up, opening up the chest cavity as if allowing them entrance.

_That's just what he wants, well he's got another thing coming if he thinks I'm gonna go inside that overgrown web-spinning_… He flew ahead of her inside the open cavity.

Getsu blanched. "**You're insane**!" She clicked her tongue and flew after him, groaning. _I know I'm going to regret this later!_ She thought.

* * *

A/N: another prologue sorry. not much else to put so later!


	42. Monster - Ur a Warrior

A/N: yo sorry for the last chap i didn't intend for it to really be so much like a prologue, it just happened. y'know how it goes riiight? /gets bricked  
anywho, not much to put other than there's more action in this chap so enjoy! xD

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 42: Monster - Ur a Warrior**_

All the slicing his claws were doing was beginning to get on her nerves.

_If he keeps this up, they'll just keep coming_, she mused, stepping forward. "Let me handle them." She declared, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He made a face but allowed her to work nonetheless, stepping aside as her aura spiked and she crossed both arms over her chest for the briefest moment before swinging her arms out like a blockade; a ring of blue fire ignited the walls that harbored the menial demons, destroying them as they came out, growls of pain echoing around them.

She dispelled the fire as easily as when she'd started it, flexing her claws before placing her hands in the sleeves of her kimono.

"Remind me not to ever make you **too **angry." He muttered as smoke rose up from the walls she'd burned, sweatdropping.

"Sesshomaru?" The voice of the priestess sounded behind them, making his ears twitch as she looked over at the once-unconscious girl.  
Her brown eyes roamed from the silver-haired male to his companion's slightly surprised silver eyes. "Getsu?"

She smiled in relief, stepping away from his side to help the girl sit up. "Glad you're still among the living." Her kind silver stare faltered when she saw the blood stain on her right sleeve, a frown furrowing her brow. "Hold still for a minute." She instructed gently, taking the girl's wrist in the same gentle manner and rolling the sleeve up to the shoulder, her free hand's palm glowing lilac before it hovered over the wound and she began healing her.

_Your kindness towards humans ceases to amaze me_, he mused with an instinctive eye-roll at her actions.

"Getsu, have you two been slaying the demons all this time?" Kagome wondered when the deed was done, rolling her sleeve down her arm and looking at the older female.

"Well, Sesshomaru started it but I ended it; seein' him flick his wrist so nonchalantly was starting to get annoying…" Getsu offered, flashing a sheepish smile.

"That explains things." Sesshomaru grumbled, making her cringe; he shook his head and glanced at the girl. "That wound you had, was it InuYasha's doing?" He asked, his answer confirmed for him with her silence. "Being a simple _baka-hanyou_, I would imagine Naraku's darkness overcame his human heart." He guessed grimly.

Kagome blinked before the memory flashed in her mind and she lowered her gaze, rubbing her mended arm gingerly. "No, that's not it!" She protested, making both _daiyokai_'s ears twitch.

She looked at her and her eyes softened slightly as she realized she was trying to justify the _hanyou_'s actions. _A priestess indeed_, she mused, perking up as he tugged on her sleeve and dragged her with him. "H-hey!" She barked.

"If we keep dawdling we're bound to run into more demons and I'd rather not waste more of mine as well as your energy slaying mindless pieces of Naraku." He reasoned calmly.

She sighed in reluctant defeat. "C'mon, Kagome." She beckoned.

_She's not seriously dragging her with us_… He inwardly groaned, throwing a look over his shoulder to see the aforementioned priestess hurrying after them until she was walking behind both he and his mate; he felt like slapping his forehead.

'_Of course she's serious._' His inner demon hummed, seeming to find his annoyance at her generosity highly amusing.

_Shut your mouth_, he inwardly growled, hearing it snicker.

:::::::oOo::::::::

Korihime glared at the gray-blue walls around her as she kept walking.

She'd been separated from InuYasha and Kagome not long after they'd ran into a few appendages of Naraku's body, having tried to chase both _hanyou_ and priestess into a deeper level of the body before she was forced to find a different path due to several large stinger limbs dividing her from them.

So now she was alone, keeping an arrow in her bow and said bow in hand at the ready in case anything should pop up and try to scare the shit out of her.

_God please let those two be safe_, she thought for what felt like the thousandth time within the enumerable hours she'd spent walking alone inside the body of a giant spider.

It's not like she expected to be killed just yet; Naraku was after her sister's powers, not hers. It was her powers he'd coveted for over a century, the powers she'd inherited from their _daiyokai_ father and by birthright belonged to her solely.

Not that he would ever **GET** those powers… at least not with Sesshomaru around.

_Nii-san, are you two okay? Have you found Rin yet?_ She wondered.

A soft blue glow came from ahead, jerking her attention away from the walls surrounding her; her eyes sharpened as she saw the glow radiating around a vision of the girl.

"Rin!" She gasped, growling under her breath and taking off in the direction of the vision.

The closer she got, the farther the vision seemed to get; she gritted her teeth and picked up the pace, vainly praying that she would find someone, _anyone_, when she reached that vision of Rin.

:::::::xXx::::::::

"Sesshomaru, your nose is as keen as InuYasha's, right; aren't you able to locate Rin?"

He didn't answer.

His companion sweatdropped; _great thinking, trying to start a conversation with Mr. Ice King_, she mused with an outward sigh.

"What about you, Getsu? You're a wolf demon so your nose should be keener than Sesshomaru's, right?" She looked at the quiet female walking at her side with her arms in the sleeves of her kimono.

She nodded. "Yeah it is, but I wouldn't put it past Naraku to put up an illusion that affects the nose as well as the eyes; considering he knows Sesshomaru and I have sharper noses compared to InuYasha's, he'd try and pull something to throw us off the scent." Her silver eyes looked at the silent male and she flashed an apologetic smile at the girl walking at her right. "Please forgive him if he's not so… talkative; he's been pissy since Magatsuhi fled the gorge the other night." She added.

His brow twitched in slight annoyance.

The girl sweatdropped and smiled sheepishly. "It's okay, I understand. InuYasha's kinda like that too when he's mad." She assured.

He snorted, breaking his façade of emotionless apathy. "It figures a _baka-hanyou_ like him would behave like that, given his short temper." He muttered.

She deadpanned. "Like you're any different. You two are still brothers no matter how many times you deny the fact that you've saved his ass on the past few incidents we ran into him." She reasoned patiently.

"So you're implying that I'm just as idiotic and brash as **him**?" He all but seethed; she was right in saying that he had indeed saved his brother's ass recently, for some reason only God knew of, but the fact that she was comparing him to his idiot half-brother made him bristle and his aura spike in annoyance.

"Not really, but you were considered a jackass when we first met long ago." She shrugged innocently.

Sesshomaru humphed and stuffed his hands into the folds of his _kosode_ sleeves. "You're delusional." He grated.

"Temper, milord." Getsu chided, smirking cheekily at his pissy tone: he was amusing when he was pissy.

A disgruntled growl came from between his teeth before he said no more.

"Karma is a bitch indeed." She mumbled.

He huffed. "Piss off."

The priestess sweatdropped. _Now I see; a short fuse really does run in the family_, she mused, making a mental note to ask about the wolf demon's lineage later on when this was all over.

* * *

Rin whimpered a little as she backed away from the sight.

InuYasha growled and flexed his long claws, eyes bled red as they narrowed at the sight of the fearful child; his ears twitched and swiveled a little.

A thundering growl sounded before a blur of blue crashed into him from the side and sent him crashing into one of the walls.

The girl's brown eyes widened in relief and surprise. "Kori-onee!"

Korihime leveled the possessed _hanyou_ a cold scowl before she turned to the girl, her blue eyes softening. "I'm glad I found you, Rin." She smiled and pulled the girl into a tight hug.

"Kori-onee I'm so glad you're here!" She declared as she hugged her babysitter's neck and buried her face into her shoulder; she smiled again and sighed aloud in relief.

A low growl sounded, perking her ears, before she felt him coming at her from the side; she leaped out of the way and took the girl with her, drawing back against the far wall and glaring at his red eyes.

"Kori-onee," Rin began quietly when she set her down and stood tall infront of the growling half-breed, seeing her flex her claws as she bristled defensively.

"Don't move from that spot." Korihime ordered softly, cracking her knuckles before she flashed her teeth and stiff-leggedly circled the _hanyou_, watching him follow suit and bare his teeth, reminding her of a wild dog; she flew at him.

InuYasha snarled and swung his clawed hand at her throat, his opponent side-stepping and then landing a sharp kick to his gut, sending him flying before he bounced on the balls of his feet against the wall and flew at her with his claws drawn and fangs bared.

"Your fighting style still sucks, even when transformed." She growled, her body weaving around his fury swipes with fluid ease before she ducked on the last swipe and kicked his legs from beneath him, letting him drop before he twisted and sent a foot into her jaw, knocking her back.

"Kori-onee!" Rin exclaimed.

Korihime staggered back and grimaced, rubbing her jaw gingerly before growling and flashing her teeth, showing that her fangs had grown, watching him lunge for her neck again; she ducked in time, pile-driving a hard fist into his lower belly.

InuYasha yelped and drew back as pain radiated from the blow before he leaped at her and threw a foot into her gut from the side.

She flew back, crashing into a wall.

He lunged and went for broke.

"**No**!" Rin cried.

Korihime grimaced as her head spun, blearily seeing the advancing _hanyou_. "InuYasha…"

"**Get away from her**." A thundering growl rang out before a pale fist crashed into his jaw, sending him sprawling.

Her eyes widened in surprise before the same hand extended to help her up; her eyes traveled up the arm to meet a pair of familiar serious gold eyes. "Sesshomaru?" She took his hand and let him help her to her feet, seeing him nod a little.

He smiled slightly in relief, lifting her chin to inspect the scratch on the left side of her jaw before he growled, sending a scowl over his shoulder at the _hanyou_ regaining his footing from the punch he'd delivered. "Other than that, are you alright?" He asked, perking her ears.

She nodded, smiling slightly. "Yeah, thanks."

"L-Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin's cry sounded before they both looked to see the aforementioned girl be swallowed up by the floor of the body.

"Rin!" Korihime rushed to her side, diving for her hands as she went below them and missing; she growled and cursed under her breath, straightening just as InuYasha tried to slash at Magatsuhi's face before said face possessed him. "Damn it all," she muttered.

The now-possessed InuYasha leveled the male _daiyokai_ with a glare and bared fangs.

"Sesshomaru!" He glanced back to see both his mate and the priestess arrived on the scene, both brown and silver eyes looking upon the sight of the possessed InuYasha.

"InuYasha," the girl began softly.

"Getsu, put up a barrier around the three of you." He ordered quietly, perking her ears.

She nodded, slipping her katana from her sash once her sister was at her side, placing her katana's hilt bottom and tip of the scabbard together to form an oval-esque blue barrier.

"Magatsuhi, you chose the wrong person to possess." He growled as the _hanyou_ drew Tetsusaiga, his own hand drawing Tensaiga from its scabbard. "I'll slay you along with InuYasha." He lunged.

"Nii-san!" Korihime exclaimed.

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_"

"InuYasha no!" Kagome barked.

Getsu gritted her teeth and dug her claws into the fabric of her hilt and wood of her scabbard, fighting to keep from defending her mate. _Sesshomaru…! _

The trio of females looked surprised to see that the void had narrowly missed him.

"Damn, wasn't that a clever trick." Magatsuhi mused, glaring at the _daiyokai_.

_He could've sent him on a one-way to the underworld, but he didn't_… Getsu mused.

"Onee-chan, he didn't hit him on purpose… Is it because of Tetsusaiga?" Korihime asked quietly, perking her ears.

She nodded a little and kept her eyes on the battling siblings, bristling on reflex when Sesshomaru dodged a swipe only to return it sharply to his opponent. _That explains a lot in regards to Tetsusaiga, given that Inu no Taisho gave it to InuYasha to control his demon blood; Tetsusaiga is the only thing standing between InuYasha's soul and Magatsuhi's total control over him. If he lets it go, there's no stopping him!_ She growled a little.

Korihime perked up when Tetsusaiga was punted out of his hands and sent flying up onto a higher ledge, rendering the mighty heirloom into the form of a rusty old katana. "Shit," she growled.

"Now that Tetsusaiga isn't around, I have total control over InuYasha." Magatsuhi cackled, cracking his knuckles.

"InuYasha!" Kagome began worriedly.

"Stay back, you'll interfere in the fight. Getsu, keep the barrier up… No matter what." Sesshomaru quieted her, his tone softening when referring to his mate.

Getsu nodded again. "Don't overdo it." She advised quietly, watching InuYasha lunge at him before he flew forward, knocking him back with a sharp punch, both brothers reverting to their claws and brute strength instead.

Korihime scowled slightly at the fight, her own claws flexing at her sides before her hands crumpled into fists. "This could go on forever unless we do something… One of us has to get Tetsusaiga from where it was thrown…" She perked up as Kagome slipped out of the barrier and hurried to do just that, climbing up to get the fang. "Kagome!" She exclaimed.

"Idiot," Getsu muttered, slipping the scabbard back in her sash and sheathing Mangetsuga reluctantly, looking over at the brothers as Sesshomaru leaped onto one of the higher ledges with InuYasha giving chase.

Korihime growled reflexively.

"Interesting; now that your mind and body are in demon form, you're a bit tougher than usual." Sesshomaru mused after leaping away, scowling over at the _hanyou_ behind him.

Magatsuhi sneered, "showing no mercy to your own brother, you must really hate InuYasha." He cracked his knuckles and lunged again.

Sesshomaru drew Tensaiga, scoffing as he bristled. "I feel nothing of the sort; and I've never considered that lowly _baka-hanyou_ to be my brother!" He flew at him before the _hanyou_ caught the blade of Tensaiga in his hand, gripping it tightly.

"Damn it," Getsu hurried down to her mate's aid as Korihime followed shortly.

"Both of you stay back." Sesshomaru ordered sharply, making their ears twitch.

Kagome yelped as she fell before stabbing the blade of Tetsusaiga into the wall, stopping her fall as she dangled in the air.

"Kagome!" Korihime leaped up to her side as Getsu skidded to a halt, her hand on the hilt of Mangetsuga.

"Sesshomaru," she began.

"Hang on, I'll help you," her sister declared as she used her long bow to reach the girl. "Grab onto it!"

Kagome lifted a hand to try and grab the bottom of the bow, yelping as she almost lost her grip on the hilt of the katana and gripping it with both hands. "I-I can't reach!"

"I know you can; you're not a weak human, you can reach! Kagome!" Korihime exclaimed, digging her claws into the wall before shrugging her bow onto her shoulder, scaling the wall to try and help her better, extending her hand out.

Kagome grunted and reached for her hand, grabbing onto her fingers and holding onto them tightly. "I'm bringing Tetsusaiga to you, InuYasha!" She exclaimed.

Magatsuhi sneered, "I'm afraid you're too late; I, Magatsuhi, now have control over every corner of InuYasha's heart. Tetsusaiga can no longer reach him; he's lost to you, now!"

"Don't give in you idiot!" Korihime snapped as she scowled over at the _hanyou_. "InuYasha!" She cried.

"InuYasha, don't give in!" Kagome cried, trying to get to where Korihime was before she let go of her hand to climb; she yelped when her hand slipped and she fell.

"**KAGOME**!" Korihime shouted, leaping down after her.

"**Help me, InuYasha**!" Kagome shouted at the top of her lungs.

His red eyes widened as Tetsusaiga pulsated. "Kagome…"

"Tetsusaiga…" Getsu grunted and leaped over to where the fang was, digging her claws into the wall and looking at the fang as Magatsuhi tried to keep his control over the _hanyou_. "This is for trying to kill my pack," she grabbed the hilt with both hands; sparks erupted from the barrier that rejected the touch of the powerful _daiyokai_, making her growl and grit her teeth, fangs sharpening as she fought the ripples of pain the barrier caused. She yanked it out of the wall sharply just as the _hanyou_ was trying to return to his senses. "Head's up!" She tossed the fang at him.

InuYasha grabbed the hilt, the fang pulsating in his hand and transforming back into its better form, sending a Wind Scar at the wall before he flew down after the girls.

Smoke rose up from her palms; she scowled at the burnt flesh of her palms before flicking her wrists and watching Sesshomaru drop down after the _hanyou_ once Magatsuhi had been forced out due to InuYasha's demon vortex. She flew down after them, landing nimbly on a higher ledge than the ones Sesshomaru and InuYasha occupied.

Magatsuhi roared angrily at being caught before Sesshomaru lunged with Tensaiga swinging down sharply. "**Tensaiga**!"

The evil face cried out in agony at being felled at last, fading into the air.

Korihime's eyes widened slightly as she realized that she couldn't smell his stench anymore. "You did it!" She cried, leaping up to his ledge as he sheathed Tensaiga and throwing her arms around his neck.

Sesshomaru stiffened slightly at having her hug him before he smirked slightly in defeat and hugged her waist, letting her slip free. "I told you three to stay in the barrier." He replied as everyone gathered noticed the walls started to shake with tremors once Magatsuhi had been vanquished for good.

Getsu punched his shoulder affectionately, seeing him wince a little before she smirked. "Y'should know by now that we only half-listen." She teased with a reflexive bump to his hip from her own.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and pulled her to his side by an instinctive grab on her waist, squeezing. "Don't remind me." He grumbled, looking down at catching the sight of burn marks on her hands; he lifted her right hand gingerly turning it over so the palm showed slight burns on her skin. His gold eyes tightened before he sighed patiently. "Reckless princess." He growled.

She blushed meekly and elbowed his ribs, holding his arm to her waist out of reflex. "Pack helps each other out, no matter what. You know that." She defended quietly.

"Getsu," both _daiyokai_ looked at the _hanyou_ and priestess; she blinked as she noticed the former's demon blood had receded so he looked like how he normally did. "Thanks for the help." He smiled slightly.

She shrugged out of her mate's arms and smiled sheepishly. "It was no big deal." She replied with a reflexive rub to her neck.

"Your hands," Korihime began concernedly at seeing the burn marks on her sister's palms.

Getsu shrugged innocently. "That barrier sure was strong; it's a wonder I was able to grab Tetsusaiga's hilt without being completely injured by the barrier." She replied.

Kagome frowned slightly before noticing the slightly pissy look the older of the two _inu-yokai_ bore on his handsome face; she sweatdropped.

"We're going." Said _Inu-Daiyokai_ declared, hooking his arm around his mate's waist and taking off into the rest of the body as it continued to shake.

"Sesshomaru!" Korihime sighed and scowled after him. "Jerk. Well, guess I'm staying with you two until we end this." She mused, rubbing her neck and looking at the _hanyou_ and priestess.

InuYasha smirked at her before looking off where his brother went, scowling slightly. "Might give him time to cool off." He muttered.  
Both females nodded sagely.

Getsu shirked out of his arms again and flew at his side instead. "Sesshomaru," she began.

"What is it?" Sesshomaru glanced at her.

She leaned in to kiss him, surprising the male, before he kissed back and let her slip away with a slight growl. "You did great; but you're being jealous." She declared quietly, smiling patiently.

Blush stained his cheeks pink before he snorted and looked away, allowing another growl. "How so?" He grated.

"Just because InuYasha paid me a compliment doesn't mean I don't love you; I always **have** loved you, you prat." She explained, keeping the same patient smile on her full lips.

Sesshomaru snorted again, glaring at the wall near him. "I should've just killed him with Bakusaiga when I had the chance." He growled.

Getsu shook her head softly and lifted a hand to pat his cheek. "You're brothers whether you like it or not, love. Remember that." She sighed.

He scowled in reluctant defeat at her words, lifting a hand to hold hers to his cheek, his gold eyes softening a moment later. "I hate it when you're right."

She smiled and felt him squeeze her hand. "Get used to it."

* * *

A/N: things are winding down kiddies. will Getsu and Sesshomaru find Rin? will Getsu and Korihime avenge their clan's death..? and will Naraku finally be slain?

until next chap, see ya! thanks for all the views and reviews; they really help spur me to write more. xD


	43. Ur Voice (Is All I Wanna Hear)

A/N: the final battle is winding down, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel.. enjoy the chap!

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

_**Chapter 43: Ur Voice (Is All I Wanna Hear)**_

The _hanyou_ sneered. "What's wrong, monk; why do you hesitate? Or are you really that afraid, monk?"

"**Adamant Barrage**!" He sent a torrent of adamant shards sailing at the illusion, the attack having no effect.

_It's as if we can't interfere_, she thought, landing nimbly on the floor and loading an arrow into her bow, aiming. "I don't think Miroku can see us," the priestess declared as her aura flowed into the bow and arrow, making both glow with a tint of dark pink.

"I'm not upset about wasting an arrow if only to keep that monk from killing himself." She chimed grimly before releasing the arrow. _Hit the mark!_

The arrow flew past the illusion, hitting the far wall behind it; she clicked her tongue and scowled. _Well damn_, she thought.

"Miroku the great savior; seems you'd rather save yourself rather than your friends." The illusion Naraku drawled.

"That's enough, Naraku!" Miroku yanked the beads off his wrist.

"**NO**!" Korihime shouted.

"_Wind Tun_…"

InuYasha clamped his hand down on the monk's opening palm, halting him before he did something stupid. "I won't let you, Miroku!" He exclaimed, knocking him down back-first and keeping his hand held tight onto his own. "Kagome, the beads! That was close, if we didn't make it on time we'd have been dead." He declared.

She handed him the blue rosary beads as the she-wolf trotted to their side and shrugged her bow onto her shoulder.

Illusion-Naraku chortled. "In the end you chose to save yourself, therefore leaving your ties to this world, monk!"

Miroku grimaced. "Shut up or I'll take you right now with me!" He tried to get up.

"Snap out of it; don't you even recognize me?" InuYasha barked, scowling at him.

"We have to get rid of the illusion," Kagome loaded her bow and fired an arrow at the illusion, surprise registering on her face when the arrow just went through it as Korihime's did. "It's still there?"

Illusion-Naraku chuckled again. "Of course it's still there; it won't disappear not until the monk is dead and I've seen how far Sango will go in order to save him." He explained.

"What does that mean?" Kagome asked warily.

"Fuck!" Korihime growled, glaring at the illusion. "I knew we shouldn't have split up." _If only I'd have gone with Sango and Kirara, they wouldn't be separated from us and Miroku won't be on the verge of dying before getting his vengeance on Naraku!_ She bristled angrily and mentally kicked herself for not thinking things through when she should've.

* * *

"**_Nagareboshi-Kaen_**_!_" A wide torrent of blue fire screamed at the incarnation, making him dodge and move to the left.

"Getsu, Lord Sesshomaru!" The boy declared in relief at seeing both _daiyokai_ present.

Sesshomaru glared at the incarnation; Getsu flexed her claws and flicked her right wrist.

"My, my, that was certainly a scary attack, Lady of the West!" Byakuya teased calmly, smirking at the female counterpart of the powerful _daiyokai_ as her aura spiked slightly in response.

Getsu smirked and showed a fang in her expression. "There's more where that came from, Byakuya." She growled.

"If that attack was meant for me, you've got the wrong person, Sesshomaru; but judging by that attack I would imagine both you and your spoiled bitch were listening in on our conversation. So I'll leave you to settle this; bye, now." He declared in the same calm tone, a path opening up for him to flee as he turned and went in the path's direction as a spout of blue fire chased his heels until the path closed up behind him.

"Damn, I missed. He really is a slippery insect." She muttered, flicking her wrist and folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono.

Her mate said nothing, instead keeping his gold stare on the female demon slayer present, making her ears twitch before her silver eyes followed his gaze and she looked from her to the unconscious girl safely on Ah-Un's back. _Sango_, she thought, her brow furrowing.

"Sesshomaru, I won't resist you if you wish to kill me." Sango declared boldly, surprising both her brother and the female wolf.

Kohaku blanched. "Sister, what're you saying!? Lord Sesshomaru, please spare my sister!" He cried.

Getsu looked from both siblings to him with concerned silver eyes. _He's not seriously contemplating it, is he? Sango may have been selfish in trying to slay the illusion, yes, but I know she felt remorse if it meant hurting Rin in the process. Sesshomaru, whatever you do, please don't kill her_. She frowned softly.

"I won't try to justify what I did; I almost killed Rin to get rid of Naraku, I'd do anything if it meant destroying him! So all I ask is that once the curse has been lifted and the monk is safe, let me live until then; after that, I'm all yours." Sango pleaded, glaring at him with hard brown eyes.

Getsu gritted her teeth and scowled. "Don't be such a martyr, Sango. What happened was just a misunderstanding; you didn't mean to try and hurt the girl! I know you didn't… You're not like that! I'll be damned if you give your life up right when it's supposed to get started. Don't sacrifice yourself just to give peace to your conscience! Think about Kohaku and Miroku too! Do you really want to leave the both of them alone in this world if you die so selfishly?" She almost shouted, her silver eyes burning as her hands had crumpled into fists at her sides, her claws digging crescents into her palms.

Sango's eyes widened alertly at her words. "G-Getsu…" She began.

Sesshomaru turned both gold eyes on his mate, seeing her visibly bristling and noticing that her claws were starting to sharpen; he looked away, staring past the female demon slayer at the pink color of the walls. _It would've been easier if you just said, 'Sesshomaru, don't kill her'_, he mused.

Both parties looked up as a part of the 'ceiling' overhead opened to reveal a pure white light.

"The light!" The boy declared.

His gold eyes sharpened at the scent's change in direction. _Naraku's stink is in the direction of the light_, he thought.

She widened her eyes slightly, sniffing the air and bristling before lowering a hand to the hilt of her katana. "Naraku's scent," she murmured.

"Hurry." Sesshomaru declared, baffling the second woman present, glancing at her and her brother. "You want to find the monk, don't you?" He added, his mate's hand grabbing his own before both _daiyokai_ flew up to chase the source of the light.

"Sesshomaru, do you really intend to kill her?" Getsu asked quietly, perking his ears.

He looked at her again and felt her hand tighten in its grip on his own. "She didn't purposefully try to kill Rin; in retrospect, it sounds like she was trying to avoid hurting her." He surmised.

"So that's a 'no'." She began to feel hope again.

He blinked at hearing the hopeful tone in her voice, looking at her to see she was smiling; his eyes softened at the sight and he squeezed her fingers. "Your little speech did have something to do with it." He added quietly; _aside from the fact that you would maim me if I actually __**did**__ kill Sango_, he mused.

Getsu smiled wider and looked forward, the fast pace they flew at causing a ripple in her slightly tousled mane of ebony hair. "When this is over, I want to live with you in the West." She admitted quietly.

"Getsu," Sesshomaru cocked a brow at her confession, looking forward as well. "We don't have to live in the West, we can go wherever we please… I know you don't want to go back there." _Not to a place you once called home_, he inwardly added with a soft frown.

"I know, but I want to. It's where you call home, and to be honest, wherever you call home is my home too." She assured stubbornly, glancing at him and smirking gently.

He quieted and shook his head softly, sighing. "The West it is." He agreed; even though he knew the West was the last place she wanted to live at, she had indeed told him long ago that she was willing to live in the West with him once she had avenged her clan and restored her honor.

:::::::lLl::::::::

Miasma spewed up from the part of the body the _Meido Zangetsuha_ had cut, surprising those present (not counting Naraku).

"Damn it!" InuYasha made to jump down to protect both the monk and priestess before a bright pink barrier formed around them and he saw the she-wolf standing there with her long bow and an arrow from her quiver in her hands, her blue eyes staring past him at the barrier-encased _hanyou_.

"I've got them," Korihime declared as he joined them in the safety of her barrier.

InuYasha nodded. "Thanks, I owe you." He replied, smiling a little and seeing her return the smile.

_This barrier is almost like Getsu's, but just how long can Korihime keep up her barrier?_ Kagome wondered at noting that the stink of the poison didn't breach the barrier's domed walls, a relief on both her and Miroku's lungs.

:::::::dDd:::::::

"Damn," she growled as the miasma spewed from the walls, looking at Sango as she went ahead of them. "Sango," she began quietly, looking over at the two children. "Kohaku, put on your mask; I'd rather not have to face Sango if you died of inhaling Naraku's toxic stink." She instructed calmly.

"Don't need to tell me twice," the boy nodded and did as instructed.

The girl looked over at the two _daiyokai_. "Getsu-onee," she began quietly.

She blinked when seeing her look at her and smiled lightly. "It's alright, Rin, we're gonna be okay." She assured, seeing her nod.

He looked between the two females and couldn't help but smile a little in relief that they were both alive and at his side.

* * *

"The _Meido_ turned into blades…" Korihime began softly, feeling her aura spike as she loaded an arrow into her bow and aimed at the bust of the horrified and shocked half-breed. _If I can just hit him in the forehead_, she thought, hesitating because of her sister. _No, I can't kill him yet; Naraku took both of our parents, so it's only right that Getsu and I share in our vengeance. I'll hold off for now, at least until she and Sesshomaru show up_, she mused, scowling slightly as she vainly prayed they would show up and soon.

"What's wrong, Korihime? Why aren't you shooting? Or have you picked up fearfulness from that miserable mongrel you mated with?" Naraku drawled, having gone back to his usual slippery composure, his red eyes gleaming as he smirked at the she-wolf.

Her hand gripped the wooden part of her bow and she growled. "It's only right that my sister be here; after all, since the day you burned down our home and killed our parents, you were marked as **our** kill. I won't take that victory from my older sister's hands. I can't." She explained coldly, seeing his red eyes widen a little at her words before they narrowed.

"You weak-willed mongrel whore, you're a fool to not take the chance and kill me now!" He snarled.

She huffed. "It's not something you'd understand: pack sticks together, no matter what!" She exclaimed.

His lip curled. "You damn brat!" The floor erupted beneath her feet, making her and the couple yelp before she leaped away and landed on a higher ledge.

"InuYasha, Kagome!" She exclaimed as they were swallowed up by the floor.

He chortled. "Well, we're alone at last. What will you do now, Korihime?" He drawled.

She flashed her teeth and growled lowly. _Onee-chan, hurry!_ She thought.

::::::oOo::::::::

"Lord Sesshomaru, Getsu, there's so much miasma!" The boy exclaimed.

He scowled ahead into the darkness of the miasma-laden air, gold eyes sharp. _So now you're desperate, aren't you, Naraku? In that case I'll read you your last rites._ He lunged forward. "**Bakusaiga**!" Wide torrents of yellow-and-green energy screamed at the stake-looking limbs infront of them, paving a way onward.

She flew ahead of him. "C'mon, we've gotta hurry." She declared, drawing Mangetsuga from its scabbard and swinging it sharply to the left, sending a wide jet of purple energy sailing at the limbs that stood in her way, destroying them almost as effectively as Bakusaiga had.

He smirked slightly and followed at her heels with Ah-Un tailing him carrying the two children.

_If Naraku is this desperate to kill us with just his miasma, then that means Kagome and InuYasha have landed a couple of critical blows to his _yokai _form._ She gripped the hilt of her heirloom katana and growled under her breath. _Korihime, please be alright!_ She thought.

::::::xXx::::::

"**Kuro-Fubuki Taiho**!" A wide array of black ice shards destroyed the oncoming miasma voids.

She nodded slightly, hopping onto the back of the _neko_. "Boy am I glad to see you guys," she declared in relief at seeing both monk and demon slayer still alive.

"Korihime," the couple looked at the ice shards that had destroyed the voids, some of them protruding from the walls behind Naraku.

A loud howl rang out before the wall behind them burst open with sparks of green, yellow and purple energy before both _daiyokai_ appeared at last with Ah-Un trailing behind their lead.

"Getsu, you're here!" Korihime beamed in relief.

Sesshomaru smirked slightly at the relief written across his sister-in-law's face, the howl his mate had sounded still humming in his ears. _Maybe she really __**has**__ been around me for too long_, he mused.

Getsu huffed and grinned widely. "Where the hell else would I be?" She chuckled as she hovered near the _neko_ to hug her sister tight before they pulled apart.

"So you're all here. You and your worthless group of so-called friends." Naraku growled as he surveyed the rag-tag range of those that had come, from the two _daiyokai_ that were the strongest present to the lowly human children riding the two-headed dragon steed.

Korihime loaded her arrow into the bow, aiming at him. _Yer damn right we are; we're all here to kill you once and for all, you miserable fuck_, she thought with a low growl brewing in her throat as her aura spiked and flared out slowly.

_Mother, Father, I… no, we, will avenge your deaths and restore our clan's honor for good!_ Getsu gripped the hilt of Mangetsuga as she retreated to her mate's side dutifully, her own demonic aura flaring.

"All of us are here: we survived." InuYasha rebutted gruffly.

Both sisters smirked at his rebuttal. _Well, now we know that confidence also runs in the family_, the younger sister mused.

* * *

A/N: the final showdown! who will come out victorious? will the girls get the long-awaited revenge they've chased down for so many years?  
until next chap, see ya! drop a review if y'like.


	44. Ur Voice - Save Me (Just In Time)

A/N: the final battle is coming to an end.. will Naraku be slain at last? and will Getsu and Korihime finally get their revenge they've sought after for so many years? this is the last chap so hopefully you lot will enjoy it. thanks for reading and reviewing so far! ^^

**disclaimer**: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

* * *

**_Chapter 44: Ur Voice (Save Me Just In Time)_**

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_"

"**Bakusaiga**!"

"**_Dying Wolf's Blood_**_!_"

A mixture of _Meido_ blades, green-and-yellow energy, and bright green energy screamed at the _hanyou_, creating holes in the walls so that daylight streamed through them, leaving the bust of the half-breed hovering in mid-air.

_He cut himself off from his body!_ She mused, scowling slightly at the bust of the _hanyou_ that snickered softly. "Is he trying to avoid getting hit by Bakusaiga?" She wondered aloud.

"If he is, it's a futile attempt." Her brother-in-law thundered coldly, perking her ears.

"What a simple bunch you are; this little gathering of friends has brought light to the Shikon Jewel. Is that what you were hoping to accomplish: do you think you've won?" Naraku drawled. "I can tell you that you haven't won; the Jewel is mine and now we are one!" His form shifted until his skin looked like red bark and blue streaks marred his cheekbones, his hair turned white and eyes blazing red.

"Great, he's more uglier than normal," Korihime deadpanned.

Four miasma voids formed and then flew forward at the group.

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_"

"**Kuro-Fubuki Taiho**!"

A mixture of _Meido_ blades and black ice shards destroyed the oncoming miasma globs.

"Damn no matter how many times you hit him, he's still regenerating," Korihime growled.

More miasma spewed out from the floor and rose up at the _daiyokai_ couple and the two children plus imp.

"You're worthless… **Bakusaiga**!" A large torrent of green and yellow energy destroyed the voids, before his mate streaked past him to destroy the rest of them with Mangetsuga's torrents of blue-green energy. _It seems that the miasma coming from his severed body is stronger,_ he thought, glancing back at the trio riding the dragon. "Jaken, leave Naraku's body at once." He ordered.

"But Lord Sesshomaru…" Rin began alertly.

"It's okay, Rin, we'll be fine; just go! Kohaku, please look after Rin for me." Getsu interjected, smiling warmly at the girl.

Kohaku nodded and Rin smiled back before the imp steered the dragon out towards the daylight.

Miasma voids tried to prevent them from escaping before Sango's Hiraikotsu cut through them and letting the trio escape.

"You're alright over there, Kagome?" Sango called once she, the younger she-wolf and the monk had reentered the battle.

"Yeah I'm fine; but for some reason the miasma around me seems to be purified." Kagome answered, looking down at her bow. _Every time I try to shoot, Naraku throws another round of miasma. Is he that fearful of my power?_ She thought.

Korihime leaped onto the large pink balloon the kitsune had transformed to, landing nimbly next to the girl and surprising both of them.  
"_Kori-chan!_" Shippo declared.

"Korihime, shouldn't you be helping Miroku and Sango?" Kagome asked.

"Nah, those two can handle themselves just fine. Even though InuYasha isn't far off I felt I should help you. Besides, you need an opening right?" Korihime replied, smiling at her.

Her brown eyes widened slightly before she smiled warmly and nodded. "Ironic, you can't read minds can you?" She wondered.

She blinked once before chuckling. "Nah, I may be strong but I'm not good at that kind of gift; neither is Getsu. We're not psychics. I just… I guess it was instinct for me to want to help you out." She shrugged innocently.

Kagome nodded again. "Thank you nonetheless, Korihime."

"It's not a big deal." Korihime mused.

Another bout of miasma voids sailed at the two females.

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_" Narrow _Meido_ blades sailed at the oncoming volley.

Both _daiyokai_ shared a look before nodding once in unison.

"**Bakusaiga**!"

"**Wolf's Crescent**!"

A wave of blue-green and green-and-yellow mixed energy screamed at the volley, destroying it instantly.

"Kagome, if you're going to fire an arrow, I suggest you do it soon." Getsu advised as she retreated to hop a little near the kitsune, priestess and her sister, silver eyes glancing at the girl.

Korihime nodded. "Onee-chan, if you and I can create an opening, we can give Kagome the chance to hit the Shikon no Tama and end this. We'll be able to avenge our clan at last!" She declared, her blue eyes starting to become misty with the thought of at long last getting the vengeance she and her sister had chased after for over a century.

Getsu nodded solemnly, her silver eyes watching InuYasha send another volley of _Meido_ blades at the voids, the breeze caused by her demonic power tousling her hair gently. "Let's do it then. Kagome, just tell us when." She instructed.

Kagome nodded slightly. "Okay!" She followed her line of sight and frowned a little.

"It's no use, Naraku; you've lost! No matter how much you try to deny it, your body's falling apart!" InuYasha barked.

Naraku grimaced. "Enough of my body still remains, at least to wipe out a single village!" He growled.

"A village…?" The stronger of the two _hanyou_ repeated quietly before it clicked and he growled. "Naraku, you bastard!"

"Don't tell me you didn't realize where we were, InuYasha! It's too late now: if you kill me, my miasma-laden corpse will descend on the village and destroy everything!" The more vulgar of the two _hanyou_ cackled.

"What of it? **Bakusaiga**!" The male _daiyokai_ snarled as he unleashed another torrent of green-and-yellow energy at the bust, ripping it in half down the center and causing the rest of the body to fall apart faster.

Kagome gasped, "the Shikon Jewel is still alive; it's falling by Naraku's will!" She declared, looking at the kitsune. "Shippo, can you carry me outside?" She asked as InuYasha hopped down onto the balloon.

"Y-yeah, I'll try!" He replied, turning to fly out of the body.

"Getsu, let's go!" Sesshomaru beckoned over his shoulder.

Korihime leaped to grab onto her sister's shoulders, holding onto her as she flew out after his head-start and flanked him with the monk and demon slayer following shortly.

::::::xXx::::::

Both sisters' eyes widened in awe at the pierced Shikon Jewel that gave off a few sparks here or there.  
_The Jewel was purified!_

Korihime bristled slightly at the fragment of Naraku's body that still remained entrapped around the Jewel, perking up as her sister placed a hand on her shoulder and quieted her; she obeyed wordlessly, scowling at the lifeless red orbs of the vile _hanyou_ they had loathed for so long of time.

"At that very moment I made a final wish upon the Shikon Jewel." Naraku declared quietly.

"And what **did** he wish, exactly?" Korihime wondered, keeping her blue eyes on the dying _hanyou_.

"At what moment?" Kagome dared wonder aloud.

"The moment where Byakuya of the Dreams cut you with his blade." Getsu's eyes sharpened; she looked over at the priestess and then glared at Naraku. _Byakuya cut her…? But his blade, it didn't hurt her; I didn't smell blood, and Korihime didn't say anything either_… "That wish shall be granted when I die… though it was not mine to begin with. The Shikon Jewel forced me to make its wish. In the end, I was but its instrument." The bright lilac light around him consumed his fragmented self before he was no more.

"Naraku," Kagome murmured in surprise.

Everyone gathered kept their eyes on the place where Naraku's head had been for a long moment later.

"I can't smell his scent anymore…" Korihime whispered in realization, her blue eyes widening.

Getsu took a brief whiff of the air and her own eyes widened in surprise. "He… he's gone!"

Miroku pulled the cloth covering his right hand off, his blue eyes widening at seeing that the wind tunnel had disappeared.

"Has the Wind Tunnel finally disappeared?" Kaede wondered as she came closer to the group.

"Miroku, the curse has been lifted!" Sango beamed.

"Getsu-onee… it's over. **He's gone**!" Korihime cried, tears filling her eyes as she thought back to her parents' faces on that horrid day; she shut her eyes tightly and wept.

"We did it!" Getsu beamed and threw her arms around her mate's neck with a laugh, making him almost teeter back on his heels.

Sesshomaru looked at her to see tears in her eyes before he smiled and his arms around her waist squeezed gently. "It's over." He amended quietly.

Kagome smiled at the sight of the happy wolf sisters, perking up as she felt like something was pulling her back.

InuYasha blanched as a wide moon-sized _Meido_ void formed behind the girl, pulling her into its depths. "**Kagome**!"

"**InuYasha**!" She tried to reach for his hand as he leaped after her before the void closed and left the _hanyou_ to flop on the ground.

"Kagome!" Korihime barked in horror.

Getsu stiffened in his arms and she narrowed her eyes. "That's what his wish was… It was the Jewel's wish to send Kagome into the underworld." She breathed softly.

"_Meido Zangetsuha!_" A wide crescent void opened up as the _hanyou_ held onto Tetsusaiga.

"You're not serious…" Getsu began.

InuYasha leaped into his own void.

"**INUYASHA**!" Korihime shouted, making to follow him before the void closed up before Sesshomaru grabbed her obi sash and held her back. "**Sesshomaru, let me go**! Please, I have to help him!" She cried as she struggled in his iron-like grip.

"**You're not going into the underworld after him**! Let him chase after that girl, don't follow him, Korihime." Sesshomaru snapped sharply, surprising the younger she-wolf.

"Sesshomaru," she began softly, feeling him release her obi when she stopped struggling before she sank to her knees and stared at the spot where the void had been only moments ago before closing. _InuYasha… don't die out there. Don't you dare die in the underworld!_ She inwardly prayed, closing her eyes tight and gritting her teeth.

_[__**3 Years Later**__]_

He made a face.

She paused in tying the sash at her waist. "What's with the face?" She wondered.

"I still don't see why you're taking him," he mused.

She sighed. "We've been over this, remember? Just because Kiba is a purebred wolf-dog _yokai_ doesn't mean we have to close him off from the human world. He's still a cub, there's a lot of room for him to learn to coexist with them." She reminded patiently.

He scowled in reluctant defeat at her words, cutting his gaze to the side. "He isn't just your child, he's mine as well…" His rebuttal was silenced with a firm kiss; his arms found her hips and he growled under his breath.

She chuckled softly when she pulled away, her arms around his neck squeezing gently. "I know he is. But it's **my** father he's named after." She teased in a warm tone, kissing the tip of his nose.

He wrinkled his nose and made her giggle before he sighed and squeezed her hips. "Your overconfidence is starting to get annoying again," he pouted.

She giggled again.

"Mama, Papa!" Both _daiyokai_ looked to see the raven-haired toddler trotting into the foyer from down the long corridor donning a blue _kosode_ tied by a green sash at his waist, his big sapphire eyes happy and carefree.

His mother smiled and slipped out of her husband's arms, catching the pup in her arms and chuckling gently, lifting him up as she straightened. "Kiba, there you are." She declared gently.

"Mama, are we gonna go see Auntie Kori today?" The boy asked excitedly.

She nodded and smiled again. "Yep, but you're riding with me today instead of on Ah-Un. How's that sound?" She replied.

"Yay! Papa are you going too?" The pup turned to his father next.

He smiled softly at him and nodded, tousling his hair. "Of course I am." He replied.

The pup beamed happily.

:::::::oOo::::::::

"Kori-chan!"

The younger wolf princess looked up alertly from walking with the priestess. "Is that?" The said girl began at recognizing that voice.

Getsu of the West landed nimbly on one foot infront of the two females; she'd forsaken her travelling garb and changed it out for a simple lilac _kosode_ with red and black cranes embroidered on the left hip and right shoulder and a thick gray sash tied at her waist, her ebony hair pulled back into a loose ponytail tied by a blue hair-tie.

A raven-haired toddler was riding her shoulders, his big sapphire eyes blinking open from his communal nap to survey the priestess standing next to his aunt. "Auntie Kori!" He exclaimed, hopping off his mother's shoulders to leap into the arms of his mother's little sister.

"Kiba!" Korihime beamed, hugging the pup tight to her chest and nuzzling his cheek. "I was wondering when you were gonna come, little one." She declared warmly.

"Auntie Kori, I'm not little! See, I'm getting stronger!" Kiba chirped, pouting at her blue eyes that were a hue lighter than his own.

Korihime giggled and squeezed him gently, smiling. "I know you are, you're gonna be as strong as your papa one day soon." She vowed lightly.

Getsu shook her head softly and smiled at them, looking at the priestess and embracing her. "It's been a while. So, you decided to stick around here instead of staying in your own world, I guess." She declared calmly when they pulled apart, folding her arms in the sleeves of her _kosode_ out of habit.

Kagome nodded and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I decided to stay here with you guys, and InuYasha of course." She explained.

"Onee-chan, Kagome's part of the pack now; her and InuYasha married a few months ago." Korihime piped up from giving her nephew a piggy-back ride, her blue eyes meeting her sister's silver eyes.

Getsu blinked before she smiled again and turned to the priestess newly christened sister-in-law. "Is that right? Well in that case welcome to the family!" She chuckled, pulling her into another hug.

Kagome chuckled and hugged back before both women pulled apart again. "Thanks, Getsu. Hey, where's Sesshomaru? If you're here, wouldn't he be here too?" She wondered, perking her ears.

"Where is the overgrown fluff-ball anywho?" Korihime chimed, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"I thought I smelled wolf!" A voice declared, making all three females look up to see a red blur drop down before them.

InuYasha stood there with a hand on his side, his gold eyes glancing from both wolf sisters to the cub riding the back of the younger of the two sisters before he smirked. "Been a while."

"Yeah really, it has." Getsu mused, punching him affectionately before hugging her brother-in-law.

He pouted, earning a chuckle from the other two females present, before hugging back and pulling away. "So you guys came to leave Rin another gift, huh?" He guessed, meeting her silver eyes.

She nodded, blinking when she felt small hands bunch in the fabric of her _kosode_ hem; his white ears twitched as the raven-haired pup had come forth to stand at his mother's side, his big sapphire eyes looking up at his gold eyes with both curiosity and slight caution.

"Who's the pup?" He wondered; this kid smelled of both wolf and dog _yokai_ blood, a sure sign that he was Sesshomaru and Getsu's child, and he had that same intelligent look in his blue eyes that the _hanyou_ could tell definitely made him out to be Sesshomaru's son.

"I-I'm no pup, I'm the son of a great dog demon! Who're you to say that anyway, you big meanie?" The pup barked, making the _hanyou_ blink and cock his head to the side.

_Yep, this kid is __**definitely**__ Sesshomaru's son_, he thought with a sweatdrop. "That's not a great way to talk to your uncle." He mused, stooping to poke the pup's forehead with a finger.

"'Uncle'? Mama, is that true?" Kiba looked up at his mother, tugging on her _kosode_.

Getsu smiled patiently and nodded. "Yeah, that's correct. InuYasha, this is your nephew, Kiba. Kiba, this is InuYasha, your uncle." She introduced lightly.

"'Kiba', huh? So you named him after your father, then." InuYasha guessed calmly, now noticing the magenta crescent on the fair-skinned forehead of his nephew and the single blue streak on each of his round cheeks. _Well, he does look a lot like Sesshomaru_, he thought.

"Yeah, though if he were a girl I would've named him 'Saya' instead." She shrugged innocently.

Her sister deadpanned. _Of course you would_, she thought.

Her ears twitched as she sensed that her mate had finished running his errand and had begun to leave. "We'd better get going; Sesshomaru's prolly done leaving Rin her gift." She announced calmly, stooping to let the pup get onto her back and ride her shoulders, looking about at the trio that was her family and smiling. "See you guys later." She declared, hopping into the air and climbing higher.

"See you later, Onee-chan! Be good, Kiba!" Korihime waved.

"Bye!" Kagome smiled and followed suit.

"Later princess!" InuYasha smirked good-naturedly and watched his sister-in-law wave before she leaped higher into the air just as her husband came into view with Jaken clinging to his stole. "Oh there he is." He muttered, the smirk faltering at the sight of his older brother.

"**Nii-san**!" Korihime and Kagome called in chorus, waving again.

Getsu blinked at the petname coming from the priestess' mouth.

Kiba tilted his head to one side. "Did that lady just call Papa 'big brother'?" He wondered innocently.

Sesshomaru's lips twisted in a pout-like expression and he sent the priestess a dirty look.

InuYasha deadpanned. _Sheesh, they're both insane_, he thought.

"Well that's weird, he gave me such a mean look… What's with you?" Kagome wondered confusedly, looking at the _hanyou_'s expression.

"That just sounded really weird okay…?" InuYasha grumbled.

Korihime giggled and smirked after their leave. "I think it's cute." She said lightly.

Getsu was trying not to crack up as she flew at his side into the sunset.

"**It's not funny, Getsu**!" Sesshomaru barked indignantly, making his wife burst out laughing.

"Papa, what's so funny?" Kiba asked in innocent confusion, looking over at his father.

Sesshomaru sighed and vaguely listened to the imp rambling on about the priestess's insolence. "It's complicated. Jaken, shut your mouth… or I'll kill you." He added lowly, making the imp stiffen in fear.

Kiba sweatdropped.

Getsu smiled and wiped a tear of mirth from her eye, looking at the pouting face of her husband.

Sesshomaru looked at her and smiled softly, looking forward into the dying sunlight.

* * *

A/N: well i hope you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as i've enjoyed writing it. it's come a long way and i'm glad it's finally over. just as a head's up i'm working on another IY fic with everyone in high school... sounds interesting doesn't it? there will be humor and romance and who knows what else! lol just figured i'd put the word out.

if you haven't done so already, **please review**! i love to hear what people think about my work so any kind of feedback is welcomed and loved. thanks!


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